Remiel

Remiel, age 8
Otago, New Zealand (1997)

I love this photo, because it was a victory for me. It meant I was going to attend the Cub Scouts with the other boys, instead of the Brownies with the girls. Yup, back then this cheeky chappie was a girl.

My parents kept my hair short, and I wore hand me downs from the older boys in my family. My family accepted my gender presentation, and still do. My dad used to boast about how strong I was.

When I was young, I assumed I was a boy. So puberty came as a depressing realization. I didn't grow my hair until I was 14, and only relented to dresses at 16.

It took me a long time to realize I was different. And I only figured it out when every time I imagined myself, I imagined myself as male.

As a kid, I ran around in a pack of boys playing sport and making messes. The other kids called me boy-girl. Seems they knew a dozen or so years before I would!

Now I'm genderqueer, gay, and coming to accept my place in the world.
I still like "guy things," but I'm a pretty femme gay guy.

One thing that never changes though: I still get asked, "Are you a boy or a girl?"
My answer: Yes!

Remiel's first, famous-person same sex crush:
Christian Cullen (All Blacks' rugby player)
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Andrew

Andrew, age 8

Auckland, New Zealand (1995)

I picked the fabric for this waistcoat myself. And I sure felt fabulous in rainbow houndstooth, as I'm sure any other 8-year old at his father's 40th birthday party would have - right?

I knew I was different from an early age. My dad dreaded picking me up from pre-school, as I'd always be wearing some frilly outfit from the dress up box.

I didn't realize I was gay until much later, around 13 or 14. Mostly because I didn't know it was possible! I grew up in a very sheltered Christian home, and everyone just thought I was special.

Coming out was hard for me. I was 21, and had just met the love of my life, and I knew I couldn't keep him to myself. It was awful for a few months, as my family were shocked beyond belief - nobody else was, of course! As time has passed, my family and I are able to slip into a don't ask, don't tell kind of understanding.

My partner Paul and I have been together for 3 years now. And, I'll soon be the best man at the-other-kid-in-this-photo's wedding, my best friend since birth. Someday, I hope that he can be my best man, too.

As the world gradually becomes more accepting, that just might be possible.

Andrew's first, famous-person same sex crush:

Mario Lopez (in "Saved By The Bell")

Oh, those abs!

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Penny

Penny (aka Pen), age 10

Rotorua, New Zealand (1984)

This photo was shot on Christmas day, with my new t-shirt on. This look was pretty much par for the course. I always hated wearing skirts and never wore pink. By the time I was 7 or 8 my mother accepted I would never wear another skirt, and she also let me cut my hair short for evermore.

“How you doin’?’

On the first day of winter at my primary school, the principal stood up in assembly and said: 'It's now winter weather, so the boys and Pen can now wear trousers'. I was also the only girl on the "boys" soccer team.

I guess I was always different.

Luckily, my family never made me feel odd. It was just taken for granted that I was a tomboy and there was nothing wrong with that. Growing up, my mother had lots of lesbian friends, so I had positive gay role models around me.

I knew I was attracted to girls right around age 10, and I had a huge crush on my cousin. So I decided when I was 13 that I must be bisexual.

Soon after I decided I had no interest in boys, so I must be a lesbian. I told my mum when I was 15 and she just said 'Yeah, I know'. The rest of the family pretty much reacted the same way. 

Looking at this picture now, I realize how lucky I was that I was always allowed to be myself as a kid and no one in my family or school ever said 'Hey, that’s not right'. I also think, 'Man I was a cocky little thing back then!'

Pen's first, famous-person same sex crush:

Nancy McKeon (Jo on "The Facts Of Life")

Partly, I think I wanted to be her. She was so cool