Zaylore Stout
From A to Zee: Could Disney/Mickey Come to the Rescue?
Hello Disney! Remember me? It’s Zaylore Stout. I grew up about a mile away from Disneyland in the 1980s and remember when it used to cost only $10 for California residents to attend the park! (Aww, the good old days.) You are even in my family photo albums! There is one photo of my grandmas and…
Why Black Pride Events are Essential
Our History I’d like start by level setting this article with a quote from actor/activist Wilson Cruz which he shared with us during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots at NYC/World Pride in 2019: “The reason why we call it Pride is because this was a community that was forced to be ashamed of themselves…
From A to Zee – Black History Month 2022 was a wash at best….
For the first time in my lifetime, I feel the Black community has received more bad news this Black History Month than good news. Hear me out… More than 20 Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) received bomb threats at the start of Black History Month. As the month rolled along those bomb threats kept…
From A to Zee: Our Rights Are Always on the Docket
Photo courtesy of BigStock/lucky-photographer Every June, LGBGTQ+ folk around the world join in celebrating our ability to be out and proud in many, but not all, aspects of our lives. However, here in the United States, June is also a very important month for another reason. It is the end of the Supreme Court’s term….
From A to Zee: Emancipation
e·man·ci·pa·tion noun the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation. “the emancipation of feminist ideas” the freeing of someone from slavery. “the early struggle for emancipation from slavery” Another June is upon us. While the rainbow flags begin to unfurl across the country and Pride gatherings get penciled…
From A to Zee: This Pope…
I’ll start off this article by stating clearly that I am not Catholic. Given that, I try not to pass judgment on other religions and will defer to those who practice that religion to inform me about their institution and doctrine. I was not raised with a connection to any organized religion. I was allowed…
Our LGBTQ+ Future is Still Unwritten…
Photo courtesy of BigStock/YakobchukOlena Sadly, most of our stories are lost. Vanished in the ash heap of history during a time where we could not legally congregate together. When we were diagnosed as having a mental disorder; when we could not just be ourselves. Despite the challenges of the times, we persevered, we stood out,…
From A to Zee: It May be Time to Retire Those Old T-shirts
Photo courtesy of BigStock/bobnevv I recently attended an intimate dinner party to celebrate dear friends’ purchase of a new home. The other guest-couple arrived at the same time as we did. I was a bit thrown off when we did our “socially distant hugs” to see that one of them, let’s call her Alice, was…
From A to Zee: Family Privilege
Sometimes you are able to gain perspective when you are able to compare and contrast different experiences, life events, or facts against each other. That opportunity presented itself recently when I had the chance to connect with an old friend and learn more about his upbringing while at the same time reading interviews given by…
From A to Zee: The Future of LGBTQ+ Inclusive Curriculums Looks Bright!
Photo by Terry Hastings This summer I was able to make a dream come true. I never thought I’d be able to pair my LGBTQ+ and legal identities together to benefit queer youth. As a wee law school student over ten years ago, I had always dreamt of attending the Lavender Law Conference & Career…
