It’s astounding to me to see how far I’ve come in embracing who I am. I never expected to become the person I look at in the mirror every day. Did eight-year-old Quinn ever imagine that she would be out and proud? Nope. But she did know that she was certainly not straight, which was a thought she carried around for over a decade before deciding to come out. When it came to attraction as a teenager, I always knew I liked guys but part of me found women desirable too. I noticed sometimes I would stare too long at a girl and would feel a sense of envy towards her but later on, I asked myself if I was jealous of her or if I liked her. I eventually learned that the latter was true.
In college, I felt I was able to express myself a bit more freely without the uniform I was required to wear in high school. I started trying out makeup and also began wearing clothes I felt complimented my shape. It wasn’t until I was on the phone one night in February 2021 that I put a name to the feelings I had. I was talking to my best friend at the time and I told him about my attraction to both men and women and he asked me finally: “Quinn, do you think you might be bisexual?” Then it clicked. It finally made sense what I was even though the answer had been looking me in the face for most of my life. I nodded my head and suddenly felt incredibly light and happy.
I had always been a bit afraid of telling people and embracing who I was but then I realized that I only needed to love myself. My fear of judgment held me back, but I knew that in order for me to be happy, I needed to be brave and honest with myself and with the people I cared about. Thankfully, I was accepted by my parents when I came out to them in 2022 as well as my friends. Many of them had a “yup that checks out” response which was honestly so refreshing. I have become increasingly active in the LGBTQ+ community here on campus at UT as well as joined an organization that accepts all identities. I’m so happy to be where I am today and I’m so grateful for my community.