With National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, The Nexus asked Jefferson Queer Student Union member Joseph Leonard to share their coming out story.

It was harder for me to come out as agender to myself than anyone else.

The long process of unlearning gender began when I was in a Discord community this summer and saw people with they/them next to their usernames. I hadn’t considered that people could use non-binary pronouns until that moment, and it made me ask myself new questions about my gender identity.

If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have shaken the uncomfortable feeling that I didn’t fit in gender as it’s often viewed today.

After opening this door, I felt more comfortable disagreeing with the traditional concept of gender identity. I now embrace the idea that everyone has their own journey with gender and all those journeys deserve respect. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I find it important to understand that you create you and that can be anything.

Joseph Leonard is a fashion merchandising and management junior.