"...it wasn’t until my 30s that I really did some soul searching and accepted and embraced it."
In honor of PRIDE month here in Seattle, I wanted to share Ms. K's story (with her permission) about her experience realizing she identifies with the queer community. Why? Because realizing that you are queer in a heteronormative society/family/culture can be scary at first, but it also can be incredibly liberating when you give yourself permission to be unapologetically YOU.
Being able to be open and honest with yourself and others about who you are can feel so freeing. For anyone out there who is struggling with their sexuality, know that you are not alone. It may be scary, but ultimately, embracing who you are will lead to a more fulfilling and authentic life.
Read Ms. K's story blow:
How long have you known that you are queer?
I suspected for years that I was bisexual but grew up super religious, so didn’t ever give myself a chance to explore that piece of me. A couple different times in my life I had people tell me they thought I was queer, which also made me wonder if they were seeing it before I was. I’d always been in heteronormative relationships, so while I wondered about this part of myself for 5+ years, it wasn’t until my 30s that I really did some soul searching and accepted and embraced it.
Have you struggled with coming out to your friends/family at all?
I sure have. My family is religious and conservative, which has made it really challenging to be open with them about this part of who I am. I try to make up for it by being very vocal about my support for the LGBTQIA+ community, and I’ve shared some things on social media this Pride month that have stated I’m queer, so I’m wondering if or when they’re going to pick up on it. As far as friends go, I really try to spend my time with people who love and accept me for who I am!
What do you want people to know about the queer community?
You know, queer people are just like everyone else. We want to be happy and loved and to love people.
Do you think it’s safe to be open about it in a corporate work environment?
I’ve been really lucky with my current company that we have an LGBTQ+ Associate Resource Group, which I actually joined before I came out! There are unfortunately still so many circumstances where queer people aren’t able to be open. That’s why Pride is so important!
Did you have reservations about doing your boudoir session?
Nah. I mean it can be a little awkward to be so exposed, but I’ve worked really hard to love my body over the years and this gave me an excuse to celebrate that. I was a little nervous, but more excited!
Why did you want to be photographed?
This shoot was all for me. Loving and celebrating myself and who I am and the love I have for me.
What was your favorite part of the session?
Glitter!! There was so much pink and so much sparkle. It made me so dang happy 😍
What did doing this shoot do for your self confidence, self worth, and self image?
The makeup and hair artists were incredible and made me feel so glamorous! Posing and laughing and dressing in outfits that made me feel sexy was so much fun. Angela was delightful and made me feel so comfortable. It was a beautiful day
Was your experience what you were expecting? If not, how was it different?
Yes! I’d done a boudoir shoot years ago but I knew this would be a better experience. Angela delivered. I loved every moment of it.
What was the best part of your experience? Would you change anything?
I think trying all the different poses! They’re TOUGH and I was super sore the next day, but the results looked FIRE.
Would you recommend us to a friend?
UHM YES. Angela and her team were fantastic, made me feel at ease and beautiful, and the end results were hot as hell. Thank you, Angela!!