Today is International Coming Out Day. We are celebrating the whole month this year as well as last year: it's Outober! As you may have seen we have started our Born This Way album! We are looking forward to your pictures and stories as well at qlit@qlit.hu!
What does it mean? Using a childhood picture, we tell you all about our childhood memories, what it was like to grow up as an LGBTQ child, how we coped with the difficulties of the world, what experiences have shaped us later on. Let’s talk about acceptance, self-acceptance, struggles and victories- and let’s talk about the problems and the times we were defeated. Some are kind or funny, some are heartbreaking personal stories.
We have started with sharing the stories of qLit team this Outober, and we’re excited to hear your stories about your pictures as well! We recommend reading some of our stories first, to get a general idea about the storytelling, and then let’s go! Write and send your stories to qlit@qlit.hu!
The project is a “steal with pride” movement, we aspire to create something similar to this blog, in qLit-style: https://borngaybornthisway.blogspot.com
How to write your story?
We’re so glad if you decide to share your story with us! Here are a few tips and ideas on how to write it:
The structure of the article:
- Tell us a few things about the picture, who are in the picture, how it was taken.
- Then guide us towards the story you’d like to tell: it can be a certain story or just a general description about what it was like to grow up, what affected you, etc.
- It’s recommended to write some kind of conclusion to the story.
What we require:
- Your first name
- How old you are in the picture
- When it was taken
Choosing a picture:
- Choose a picture that is reflective of your childhood or what you’d like to tell us about.
- Choose a picture where you’re not older than 12
- If there are other people in the picture, shortly tell us about who they are.
What to look out for:
- Your script shouldn’t be longer than 2500-3000 characters (approximately an A4 page with 1,5 line spacing).
- Be brief, straightforward -but more importantly: honest. Try to tell your story only sharing relevant information.
- After you send us your story, we’ll edit it to the right format and correct all the grammar mistakes, so you don’t have to worry about that! In case something is unclear, we’ll contact you.
In case you are stuck, here are some questions to help and inspire you. Using them is absolutely not mandatory!
- What adjective(s) would you use to describe your childhood self?
- When was the first time you ever felt like you were different, or knew you were LGBTQ?
- How old were you when you had your first same-sex crush?
- Who was the first famous woman you fell in love with?
- What pop culture things were you into as a kid? (games, tv shows, music, films)
- What were your experiences with your family, school, friends? (good and bad)
- Have you ever been bullied for being gay?
- Was religion an important factor in the way you were raised?
- How was coming out for you and what reactions did you get? (good and bad)
- How do you feel now, looking back on the picture?
- Short information about your current life (career, partner, kids, family)
- What are you the most proud of as an LGBTQ adult?
- Any message you’d like to send to those who are reading your story.
