Kat’s Story

In her fetish photos, Kat connects to her womanhood by turning herself into an object of meditation.

katherine inoueSeptember 30, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS8

Kakyo’s Story

In conservative Uganda, it’s not always easy for queer people to connect with each other. Kakyo helps them do it through fashion.

katherine inoueSeptember 30, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS8

Sharp’s Story

Tom of Finland was an artist whose queer erotic images have become iconic. For S.R. Sharp, that’s a legacy worth preserving.

katherine inoueSeptember 30, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS8

MariNaomi’s Story

They told her there were very few queer cartoonists of color. She proved them wrong and built a database full of them to share with the world.

katherine inoueSeptember 30, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS8

Kai’s Story

Nearly six feet tall, bi, and black, Kai didn’t fit in traditional dance spaces. So she created one of her own.

katherine inoueSeptember 30, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS8

Karen’s Story

A late-blooming surfer reminds us that you don’t have to be the best at something to enjoy it.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Ryan & Corey’s Story

A professional football player lived in fear of coming out as bi. Falling in love with a man changed everything.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7, Rk_Russell

Jason’s Story

An Aussie macho man reflects on his time in the closet, and his decision to finally release the bi thunder from down under.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Su’s Story

An athlete addresses the frustration of trying to compete when there isn’t a division for intersex people.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Zach’s Story

When an ice hockey player from the UK wanted to come out as bi, his biggest obstacle was the fear that his teammates would shun him.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Kim’s Story

Raised into a lifetime of playing sports, a veteran athlete explains why she wouldn’t have it any other way.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Lizzie’s Story

For this para-swimmer, living with a disability never meant living without sport.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Hudson’s Story

A lifelong love of the sport made him a college wrestler. Homophobia in the locker room made him an advocate for LGBT visibility in sports.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Emma’s Story

As a teen, this footballer didn’t want to make a big deal about coming out. Turns out, it wasn’t.

katherine inoueJuly 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS7

Cheng’s Story

Thanks to travel and Chinese heritage, a native-born Hong Konger has a complicated perspective on the politically divided city she loves.

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PaintedStories-6, PS6, PAINTED6

Intesar’s Story

An Arab can support Palestine without seeing Jews as the enemy. Shouldn’t he also be able to say so without being branded a traitor?

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PS6

Vuyolwethu’s Story

This South African is the product of three different tribes – her mother’s, her father’s, and hip hop.

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PaintedStories-6, PS6

Rafi’s Story

For this DNA researcher, seeking answers about our origins is a natural instinct. Helping people find them is his calling.

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PaintedStories-6, PS6

Mrs. J’s Story

Today, she’s a professional social worker with the respect of her colleagues and her clients. None of them suspect she used to be a stripper.

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PaintedStories-6, PS6

Missy’s Story

Her religion disapproves, but that doesn’t stop this devout Muslim woman from embracing her homosexuality.

katherine inoueMay 1, 2020KARTHIK AITHAL, PaintedStories-6, PS6