Browsing Tag

Identity

Unlearning: The Evolving Education of Queer Adulthood

Posted on August 14, 2020

What does it mean “to know?” How do we confirm a belief, or distinguish between bias and truth? As children, we believe what we are told. Our parents, caregivers, communities, and teachers tell us how the world works. We are given plenty of answers but rarely feel empowered to question them. As queer people, many of us were told that we didn’t have the option to be who we are—either explicitly or through the omission of our identities in conversation.…

When to Talk to Your Kids about Queerness

Posted on August 19, 2019

A photo of talking to your child about queerness.

The birds and the bees. Life and death. Why do we exist? Bringing up tough conversations with kids is always a large task. The question is not only how to address these things but when. As queer parents and allies, we may hear conflicting messages on when and how to bring up queerness. From gender identity and expression to sexual orientation, there are many schools of thought on the age-appropriateness of these socially divisive topics.…

Let’s Set The Record Straight—Abuse Doesn’t Make You Gay

Posted on April 23, 2019

To this day, one of the most common misconceptions I hear in both my classes and from my well-educated non-queer colleagues (one that I actually addressed in my 2015 doctoral dissertation) is that being LGBTQ is not always a normal, naturally occurring identity. Instead, it is the result of abuse. I am both terrified and frustrated to no end that this myth—that abuse can “make you gay”—is still very much alive and well. I am in awe of how many…

Sweet or Unsweet Intersections: Nurturing My Blooming Bisexuality in the Deep South

Posted on November 7, 2018

A photo of bisexuality author Aubrey F. Burghardt.

I may have only come out two years ago, but I’ve known myself forever. I knew that I didn’t care how love manifested in my life, just that it would be abundant and diverse. My parents attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas, and I spent a large portion of my childhood near the campus. Situated on winding roads with crunching leaves, the campus was conveniently located near the home of my grandmother, who took care of me after…

Why I Won’t Use Latinx

Posted on September 6, 2017

In the past few years, “Latinx” has stormed to prominence—first in online communities, then in mainstream media platforms as well as academic discourse. “Latinx” seeks to end the gendered designations in the Spanish language, replacing “Latino” and “Latina” with a term that includes both genders, as well as gender nonconforming and non-binary people.…

Exploring Identity: How Spectrum South Inspired College Students to Embrace Their Truths

Posted on August 4, 2017

Illustration of diverse people exploring identity.

Shortly after my summer class began, Spectrum South launched with its series of narrative pieces in which the publication’s core group of writers explored their own queer and southern identities. While each piece was unique to the writer, all of them spoke to the intersections of identity and journeys of queer self-discovery. This inspired me to use these pieces—written by queer millennials—to get my students thinking about their own identities (queer and not) on a deeper level. Each student was…