In honor of Transgender Awareness Month, Georgia Equality was fortunate to interview transgender trailblazer, Monica Helms. Monica Helms is the creator of the transgender pride flag and the founder of the Transgender American Veterans Association.

The interview is conducted by Jessica Douglas, Development & Communications Manager, denoted by “J,” and Monica Helms, “M.”

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J: Monica, I am really glad that you were able to take the time to speak with us.

M: Yeah, definitely, I’ve always supported Georgia Equality. I enjoy the work they do; it’s great stuff.

J: Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. Let’s go ahead and get started then. Let’s start with a bit about your background and sort of how you got into this work. Continue reading →

by Yaron Bernstein, Development & Communications Intern

Do you know what the A in LGBTQIA+ stands for? Until a few years ago, I assumed that it meant ally, a label I was fairly confident applied to me. Then, I learned about asexuality through an online video and learned that it is what the A actually stands for. Shortly thereafter, I began identifying as asexual; it turns out the only reason I hadn’t known I was asexual all my life is because I didn’t know it was a thing that I could be. This is a story not unique to the asexual experience, but the degree of unawareness of, even within the LGBTQIA+ community, has led to its being known as the “invisible orientation,” which is why events such as Ace Awareness Week– October 22-28– and International Asexuality Day–April 6th– are so important. It’s not just about showing pride and supporting our community, it is about reminding the world, and ourselves, that we exist. It is making the invisible visible. Continue reading →