Episode 6 - Accepting Your Identity

In kin•dom campfire chats, we asked camp participants to think of a question that they wish someone would ask them about their life journey. With a friend and in their own words, the campers tell their stories of struggle, love, support, and a community found. 

Episode 6:
Camper 1 - 13yo - He/Him
Camper 2 - 13yo - He/Him

"Feeling more secure in that spot is what I need."

Find out more about us by visiting our website, kindomcommunity.org. There you can find information about kin•dom camp and consider supporting our work with a one-time or recurring donation. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @kindomcommunity to keep up with all the important information.

Transcript

music  0:00  
[Andy strumming guitar & Baylee's voice singing: "Oh let's build, let's build a place we can go”] 

Narrator  0:09  
Thank you for tuning in to kin•dom campfire chats, a podcast of kin•dom community. This podcast features the voices of LGBTQIA+ persons, both youth participants and adult staff who attended kin•dom camp in Texas in the summer of 2023. We asked the camp participants to think of a question that they wish someone would ask them about their life journey with a friend and in their own words, the campers tell their stories of struggle, love, support, and a community found. We invite you to listen with an open mind and an open heart.

music  0:50  
[Andy strumming guitar & Baylee's voice singing: "This is the place”] 

speaker 1  0:56  
How have you gotten comfortable correcting people on your pronouns and name? 

speaker 2  1:01  
Um, I don't– I don't know if I've really gotten like 100% comfortable with it. But I do, like, if they keep making the mistake, I'm like, 'Hey, I go by he/him pronouns.' So yeah. 'Can you like call me he/him pronouns?' And they will generally immediately correct it.

speaker 1  1:25  
How did you know you were trans masc and not just gender neutral?

speaker 2  1:29  
There was a long time when I did think I was gender neutral. But then kin•dom camp, I went to Ask a Trans Masc Person, and they had me questioning my gender all over again. And I decided that I was trans masc.

Tom  1:46  
What is the difference, in your mind, between gender neutral and trans masc? And why is it important that we know who you are?

speaker 2  1:57  
I think that the difference– I think gender neutral is– or– yeah, gender neutral is more like you can– you change your mind, you feel more open to change your mind. And you like, you can go from they/them pronouns to he/him pronouns, like, more– anytime, more freely than trans masc people. Because trans masc, you're generally like, taking hormones and doing all this stuff. You might not even be taking hormones, but like, generally, you feel more secure in that spot. So yeah

Tom  2:47  
And why is that important to you? 

speaker 2  2:49  
Um, well, I think that feeling more secure in that spot is what I need. And not just like, feeling like... I don't know, but like, I feel like feeling more secure in that spot is like, a better thing for me.

music  3:11  
[Andy strumming guitar & Baylee's voice singing: "Oh let's build..."] 

speaker 2  3:16  
How did you accept your identity? 

speaker 1  3:18  
I went through a rough patch around seven months before coming out where I tried really hard to push myself to be cisgender and, like, push myself in femin– to be feminine and things like that. And I remember one time specifically, I went camping and I had a really masculine outfit on because that was all I had in my closet. And I remember looking in the mirror and thinking this is right, this feels right. And from that moment, I still try to push myself into the feminine things -  feminine activities, feminine clothing - but I knew in my mind that that wasn't right, and that I can't convince myself that it was. And from that point, I started acting in my transition. And then shortly after, I came out and it was all– it was all nice, but the thing is, you have to let yourself– you have to– you have to try things out. You have to try clothes on, you have to try– you have to try a hair cut. Not that that is any– in any way shape or form determines your identity. But you just have to find out what you're comfortable in and from that point you can't deny it if that is what you're comfortable with because I would wear feminine clothes, but I did know that that wasn't right for me.

music  4:41  
[Andy strumming guitar & Baylee's voice singing: "Oh let's build, let's build a place we can go”]  

Narrator  4:51  
Thank you for listening to kin•dom campfire chats. This podcast is a production of kin•dom community. You can find out more about kin•dom community by going to kindomcommunity.org or by searching kin•dom community on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Baylee  5:16  
Hi y'all, it's Baylee. I'm the Creative Director of kin•dom community.

Andy  5:21  
And I'm Andy, the Program Director of kin•dom community.

John  5:25  
And I'm John, the Executive Director of kin•dom community. 

Baylee  5:28  
We wanted to talk a little bit more about kin•dom camp and how you can get involved. 

Andy  5:33  
kin•dom camp is an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 12 to 17 to feel safe and free to show up as their full selves. Campers will have the chance to experience all the fun that camp has to offer in a week filled with affirmation community and celebration. This camp is intentionally created to be affirming space. It affirms all genders, sexualities, identities, and varieties of belief. The only thing we expect is a commitment to welcoming and celebrating everyone where they are as they are. 

Baylee  6:02  
And this isn't just any summer camp - we're talking rainbows and glitter everywhere. kin•dom camp will include plenty of traditional camp activities and recreation, plus some specialized programming to incorporate activities and conversations around mental health, yoga, embodiment, and LGBTQIA+ history and culture. Now more than ever, LGBTQ youth are in need of unconditional love and acceptance. kin•dom camp is a space for just that. 

John  6:32  
We're always looking for fully affirming, welcoming and loving adults to help us make kin•dom camp a success. This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with, mentor, and learn from our youth. But most importantly, we ask that you are ready to celebrate everyone where they are, as they are. 

Andy  6:51  
Both registration for campers and applications to be on camp staff are now open. You can find these links on our website, kindomcommunity.org/camp. If you have any questions you can't find the answers to, you can email me at andy@kindomcommunity.org. 

Baylee  7:06  
Also, be sure to check us out on socials @kindomcommunity on Instagram and Facebook. We post all of our important announcements and fun camp moments so you'll want to follow along. 

John  7:17  
Thanks for listening to kin•dom campfire chats. We are proud to be a safe space for these campers and we are even more proud of them for sharing their stories. We hope you'll keep gathering around the campfire with us as we celebrate all of the stories that make us this kin•dom community.

music  7:35  
[Andy strumming guitar & Baylee's voice singing: "Oh let's build..."] 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai