Feature Issue on Loneliness and People with Intellectual, Developmental, and Other Disabilities

The author, with Jennifer Gay, a job developer.

When our Rainbow Support Group had stopped meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic, I advocated for starting it up again.

The group has been important to me. When I first started going to meetings, it was, like, wow. I had found people I don’t have to explain so much to.

I had always been a little hesitant to tell people I’m gay. My cousin and I live together, and when I first told her, I was really nervous. But she said, “Oh, I already knew.”

Sometimes people can be judgmental, but today I have a lot of support. My family even came to a drag show to support a friend’s charity. My cousin says I’ve grown a lot and become a lot more talkative since coming out. I’m more confident now that I’m being myself; now that I’m being me.

It’s just easier.