Grant

Grant, age 6

Missoula, MT (1996)

"I was born a Little Monster!"

I always liked putting on my mom's square dancing dresses; spinning around and making them twirl. I'd wear her necklaces and clip-on earrings and dance around for hours.

In this photo I had my 'purse' (which is actually a small cooler), and I think I was pretending to be Snow White or some other princess.

I can't remember why I had my hand behind my head, but I was always one for the dramatics.

When I show my friends this photo now, they tell me I was born a Lady Gaga fan because, of my monster paw. 

I knew I was different from a very young age, and knew I was gay from age 10.

But it took me 8 years to accept it. My mom was a single parent, and since I didn't really have many friends, she became my best friend.

She has always supported me in everything I do, from building a Baby Spice robot for a 3rd grade project to loving me for exactly who I am.

My mom is my biggest fan, and I couldn't ask for anyone better.

Grant's first, famous-person same sex crush:
Freddie Prinze Jr.

Melissa

Melissa, age 6

Lewistown, MT (1988)

I remember thinking I was a boy, seeing no difference between me and other boys. Wearing boy clothes, playing with G.I.Joes and Legos, playing Army, and other boy games. I had crushes on girls, because boys have crushes on girls, right? It wasn't until puberty began that I really realized that I was indeed a girl, and that sent my world into upheaval.

I was so confused, and turned upside down. When you are little they just label you a tomboy, but when you get older, you are expected to fit into these gender roles that never ever worked for me.

My crushes on girls were then perceived as me 'really wanting to be their friend', and becoming extremely shy and nervous around them. I thought I was a shy kid, an introvert.

But once I reached high school, and I met other gay people, I finally understood what all these feelings meant: I wasn't different or weird.

I was just queer. And that was awesome!

I wasn't shy or introverted, I was just crushing without a way to express myself. The time I spent trying to be something I am not did not last very long.

And lucky for me, I had a rather supportive mother who didn't begrudge me wearing boys/mens clothing. And today, I am not unlike my 6 year old self.

I wear all boys/mens clothing, I love women, and love to play the games boys play. My short time pretending to be something I was not was a miserable time, and I will never ever do anything like that again.

I'm here, I'm queer, and I love it!