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Coming Out:
Experiences of Transgender, BIPOC, and Others in the LGBTQ+ Community

Maria's Story

Maria Warren grew up in a very religious family that kept growing as her parents adopted three more children. She knew that she had different feelings, but she did not know how to articulate them. She immersed herself in religion to try and rid herself of these feelings and the church reinforced to her that these feelings were wrong. Her father also held anti-LGBTQ+ views, which furthered her drive to hide these feelings. By age 12, Maria knew that she was a lesbian, but with no one else around her displaying the same feelings as her, she continued to hide them. She describes herself as being in the “odd crew” in both middle school and high school. She was known to defend herself, so people refrained from making remarks to her. It was only when she started high school that she began to hear these derogatory remarks. 
Photos of Maria from her childhood
Photos of Maria from her childhood
Photos of Maria from her childhood
Maria discusses her children discovering her sexuality and their support
At 19, Maria decided that marriage might be the solution and make these feelings go away. She had never had a partner before, and her first experience with sexual relations nearly traumatized her. A few years into her marriage, they separated and during this separation Maria came out. They were separated for two years and eventually her family pushed her to try and save her marriage. So, she came out to her husband, and they started couples counseling. When this didn’t work, her husband outed her to her whole family, and they separated for good. Maria stopped attending church out of shame and to protect her mother. ​
Photos of Maria from her adult life as a proud, queer woman
Photos of Maria from her adult life as a proud, queer woman
Maria discusses the partial freedom she felt after her initial separation
Photos of Maria from her adult life as a proud, queer woman
When Maria moved to York, she got in contact with and joined PFLAG [Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays], a support group that became her rock in the community. They were there for her at her loneliest time. She is still an active member there, helping those who came after her so that they do not have to go through the same experience as her. Her children found out about her sexuality at different moments, but all of them offered nothing but support to their mother.
“—and I think that was one of my fears is that they wouldn’t be supportive, even though I did raise them to love people for who they are and not to discriminate in any way. So—but it was still that fear, that underlying fear was still there that they may not—may not accept me, but that didn’t happen, so it’s all okay.” – Maria Warren on the fear of coming out to her children.
Maria discusses accepting herself and life after her full separation from her husband
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Harrisburg, PA 17110

(717) 409-5781
info@centralpalgbtcenter.org

© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • The Long Road
    • Beginning >
      • Early Experiences
    • Philadelphia >
      • Philadelphia Part 2
    • Harrisburg >
      • Harrisburg Experiences
    • Lancaster >
      • Lancaster Experiences
    • York >
      • York Experiences
    • Allentown
    • Montgomery >
      • Montgomery Experiences
      • Montgomery Part 2
    • Work Continues >
      • Current Challenges
    • Acknowledgments
  • With Open Hearts & Open Arms
    • Gay LIfe in Pre-Castro Cuba/Homophobia/What's In a Name? Part 1
    • What's in a Name? Part 1 Continued/UMAP/Mattachine Society
    • Leftist Gays in the US/The Mariel Boatlift
    • The Mariel Boatlift Part 2/Resettlement Camps
    • Resettlement Continued/Press Coverage
    • Immigration/What's In a Name? Part 2
    • LGBTQ+ Organizing
    • The Mariel Generation/Life in PA
    • The Eromin Center/Impact of AIDS
    • AIDS in Cuba/LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba
    • Acknowledgements
  • Stories of Discrimination
    • Hate Crimes >
      • Anita Bryant
      • Escalating Violence
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Bookstore Bombings
    • Employment Discrimination >
      • Blacklisted
      • "Moral Turpitude"
      • Elected
      • Traumatized and penalized
      • Other Stories of Employment Discrimination
    • Transgender Discrimination >
      • High School Experiences
      • Other Stories of Transgender Discrimination
    • Housing and Property Discrimination >
      • Vision of Hope MCC
    • Conclusion
  • We Believe?
    • Early Expereriences
    • Coming Out
    • LGBTQ+ Groups >
      • Religious Life
      • Social Life
      • Political Life
    • Faith and Identity
    • LGBTQ+ Clergy
    • Responses: Backlash
    • Responses: Acceptance
    • Looking Forward
  • Duty, Honor, Pride
    • Vietnam War Era >
      • Investigations
    • Post-Vietnam Experiences
    • "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy >
      • Personal Experiences
      • Criticisms
      • Repeal
    • Closing >
      • Citations
  • History of LGBTQ+ Bars
    • Bars of the 1950s & 1960s
    • Bars of the 1970s
    • Bars of the 1980s
    • Bars of the 1990s & 2000s
    • Harrisburg, PA
    • Lancaster, PA
    • York, PA
    • Bar Spotlights >
      • 400 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg: Pre-Raids
      • Johnny Kobler's
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Friendly Bars of the 1960s
      • The Neptune Lounge
      • The Strawberry Inn
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1970’s
      • Silhouette/D-Gem
      • Shadows
      • The Archives
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1980’s
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1990/2000’s
      • Village Tavern Night Club
      • Tally-Ho Tavern/ The Loft
      • Railroad House Bar
      • The Fiddler
      • Sundown Lounge
      • Altland’s Ranch
      • Town Tavern
      • 14 Karat Room
  • Gender Identity and Gender Expression
    • Terminology
    • Early Years: Impersonation
    • Entertaining for a Cause
    • Gender During Gay LIberation
    • Medical Classification
    • Rise of Publications and Organizations
    • The 1990s
    • Advocacy and Visibility
    • Expansion of Organizations and Activities >
      • Oral Histories and Photos
    • Where We Are Now
  • LGBTQ+ Art and Artists
    • Jude Sharp
    • Paul Foltz
    • Inspired
    • Aries and the Gay Era
  • The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus
    • What is the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus? >
      • PA Rural Gay Caucus Education Committee
    • Where were these groups located?
    • Gay Lobby Day
    • Important People
    • Pushback Against Opposition
    • What Happened to the Caucus?
  • Early LGBTQ+ Activism
    • Life Before Stonewall
    • Who's Who?
    • Richard Schlegel
    • Social Organizations
    • Effects of Stonewall on Central PA
    • Political Organizing
    • Rifts in the Movement
    • Read All About It!
  • Coming Out
    • Emily Newberry
    • Joanne Carrol
    • Amanda Hecker
    • Mara Kiesling
    • Maria Warren
    • Shaka Hudson
    • Lindsay Snowden
    • David Payne
    • Dr. Eric Selvy
    • Heidi Notario
    • Tammy de Sol
    • Cindy Lou Mitzel
    • LGBTQ+ Support Groups
  • Out on Campus
    • Acknowledgments
    • Bryn Mawr
    • HBCUs
    • Lafayette College
    • BCCC
    • Penn State
    • UPenn
    • Pitt
    • Lehigh University
    • Shippensburg University
    • HACC
  • Other Resources