For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sydney Aslynn Green, and I am a transsexual woman. I’ve lived full time ever since I left Texas a few months ago.
It was a perfect storm that I never expected. I came out to my friends and family, got on hormones, and suddenly I have an acceptance letter to the University of British Columbia arriving in my mailbox. Because my father is from Kamloops, a small town to the north of my college town of Kelowna, I was given …

The story of Miranda Wright begins, like so many other fairy tales…
Once upon a time, a non-profit youth organization, advocating for North Texas’ LGBTQA youth, gave itself a unique challenge – to create an internal fundraising opportunity that promoted the social services aspect of the organization’s mission values. Four of the organization’s most unlikely volunteers and staff members to do drag were selected for the challenge and a popular vote by fundraising donation would decide who would be performing in drag during the festivities of pride week. It was by …

When you exercise your many freedoms today, remember those who earned them for you. And more importantly, remember this: Anyone can be a terrorist. Any age, any race, any gender, any face, any dress, any motivation, any inclination.
The primary weapon used by terrorists is not an IED or rockets or rifles or rocks or grenades; they are not fighter jets or tanks or suicide bombers or underwear explosives. The weapon of terrorism is just that: terror.
Fear. Anxiety. They are crippling, and they rob you of joy.
When you harass someone, when …

I have always been in theatre. I have been an actress and a director. I have done anything and everything on the technical side, but one side I had never conquered was playwriting. I was perfectly happy being a minor actress and a lead technician. Two years ago, I acted in a program called P.U.P Fest, a.k.a Playwrights Under Progress Fest. Five plays are handpicked, cast, rehearsed, and performed by teenagers in grades 9-12. After that experience, I fell in love with P.U.P Fest and swore I would write a …

As soon as I enter the YFT building I’m plastered with hugs. It’s hard not to feel like a celebrity when everyone greets you with a hug and the words, “Hey, Gorgeous!”
I made special effort to get here, despite working long hours and living in Plano without a car. Today is “Gender Specific Toy Night.”
In Gender Identity Group we were asked to bring a toy that plagued or delighted us during childhood so we could unpack the emotions associated with it. At first I couldn’t focus on anything. Most of …

Our Stories, Our Voices is a blog series written by the youth for other youth about issues they have had to deal with in their lives.
At the end of the day I ask myself, I wonder what it’s like? To be Bisexual or heck even Lesbian. When I say that I’m a straight ally a part of me says but you are totally checking out that chick sitting on the couch wondering what her parents would think of you and her together. It’s a very confusing thing/time for me especially …

Go west, young man. And so, upon hearing those words, or something remarkably similar, Charley Scarborough hit the trail and headed for the wilds of Fort Worth’s Sundance Square in order to brave the slings and arrows of outrageous improv comedy with the troupe known as Four Day Weekend.

INSTANT TEA – Official Blog of the Dallas Voice – http://www.dallasvoice.com/instant-tea
September 22nd, 2009.

Last night during the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce’s Pride Dinner at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, keynote speaker Cleve Jones issued a challenge: If you can’t make it to the National Equality March in October, send someone in your place.
Shortly after Jones concluded his remarks, six chamber members and/or Pride dinner attendees responded, with each agreeing to pay for one of the local LGBT youth on hand to go to Washington. The six beneficiaries from Youth First …

Let’s face it. Walking into the center on a Thursday night can be a daunting task for anyone, whether they are a youth or an adult, a regular or a newcomer. So it helps to know a familiar face, at least on some level, and it’s the job of “Featured Friend” to introduce some of these faces.
Name: Barbara Jacob
Age: 45
Role at YFT: Parent
1. Who is your icon or role model? My parents.
2. What is your favorite thing to do when you are at Youth First Texas? I love getting to …

Youth First Texas has so many attendees it’ is unlikely for anyone to know everyone. So we’ve decided to help you get to know a different person at YFT every week. On that note, let me introduce you to this week’s “Featured Friend.”
Victor Rodriguez, 21, is a youth here at YFT. He  goes to school at Texas A & M Commerce and identifies with the “G” in LGBT. His favorite YFT programs are Big Thursday Group and the Queer Writers. Victor is hard to miss because he sports an astonishing …