LGBTQIA+ Creators Share Their “Why”
It’s June, which means it’s Pride Month in the US! Every year, we take time to recognize and celebrate those bringing their unique voices and stories to the conversation. June may be coming to a close, but these LGBTQIA+ creators are creating impactful content year-round. Ahead, hear from Corey Rae, Ariel and Dominique Wilson of The Word Queer, and Alicia Trautwein of The Mom Kind share their stories and the missions that drive them.
COREY RAE
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In a brief paragraph, tell us about your website and about yourself. What would you say your mission is? What drives you every day to continue to create & publish?
My website is what gave me my platform. Back in 2016, I was struggling over how to tell the world that I was assigned male at birth and that I transitioned in high school. I had been keeping it a secret since going off to college in 2011. After Caitlyn Jenner came out, and people started to talk about what it meant to be transgender more openly, it inspired me to tell my own story. At the time, I had been writing the first chapter of what I thought was a book, and simultaneously had been making a website for an online modeling portfolio. After the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, I combined those two projects of mine and made a blog post titled, “Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself” which I came out publicly through. The story went viral and the rest is history. My mission is to help change the world’s perceptions and treatment of transgender people. I’ve taken time off from blogging as other mediums, such as Instagram and TikTok, have taken up more of my time. I do continue to create scripts that shine a positive light on, and uplift, my community – and that keeps me going.
What do you want people to know about you?
I want people to know that being transgender is not everything about me. Although it’s an important part of my life, it’s not the only thing that defines who I am.
ARIEL & DOMINIQUE WILSON OF THEWORDQUEER
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In a brief paragraph, tell us about your website and about yourself. What would you say your mission is? What drives you every day to continue to create & publish?
Our names are Ariel and Dominique Wilson and we live in Charlotte, North Carolina. We are the creators that began TheWordQueer website. Our website is important to us because we know what it feels like to feel alone, scared, and hurt by friends and family who do not understand who we are. When we were going through our hardest moments we did not know of anyone who had experienced anything similar to what we were going through. But in reality, traumatic experiences are all too familiar in the Black LGBTQ+ community. Our website and other social media platforms are designed with these stories in mind. We’re here to uplift and celebrate Black Queer Love despite the challenges we face because we know what it feels like to be othered in society and we also know what love feels like. So, our mission is to continue to provide a safe space on the internet for Black LGBTQ+ couples to thrive. Our chosen family and community have been phenomenal in driving us to continue to create and share our story.
What do you want people to know about you?
We want people to know that we are a resource for Black queer couples. Ariel is a Licensed Psychotherapist who specializes in working with LGBTQ+ couples about how to navigate issues within their relationships. We have learned so much throughout our relationship of 10 years and we enjoy educating others to help them create healthy relationships for themselves and with their partners. We are open about much of what goes on in our personal life to include our TTC (trying to conceive) journey, communication tips, lifestyle, how to deepen intimacy and connection, Black LGBTQ+ topics, and Black LGBTQ+ culture.
ALICIA TRAUTWEIN OF THE MOM KIND
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In a brief paragraph, tell us about your website and about yourself. What would you say your mission is? What drives you every day to continue to create & publish?
The Mom Kind started in 2015 as we began our journey with autism. I found so few resources on parenting multiple autistic children, so we started sharing our stories to help inspire others. Four autism diagnoses later, our family’s story and advocacy have evolved. I thought we were doing right by parenting when our first child came out, but I dropped the ball with our second child. Realizing just how hard it is for parents to be completely accepting and for LGBTQ children even in today’s world, I knew I had to help make some changes. Then, after self-discovery and looking at my childhood through a new lens, I realized I am queer and asexual. The lack of acceptance and education I experienced as a child led to me not knowing who I was until I was 33 years old and married with four children. Through the experience of our family and the experiences shared with me by others in the LGBTQ+ community, I am inspired to keep creating and publishing content to help inspire others and create change.
What do you want people to know about you?
I am totally insecure! Sharing who I am so openly, speaking up about tough topics, and being in front of a camera do not come naturally to me. Every video or image you see of me, there were probably one hundred takes you didn’t see because I felt it wasn’t good enough or I looked goofy. But I have also learned that pushing through insecurities is the only way to overcome them. Showing up and just being yourself can genuinely change lives.
