"Seeing gay masculinity presented in context, both through the teenage lens, and the prisoner lens, hit home. I felt a seriousness in my self-examination, and an urgency to declare it."
"For the first time in a long while, what others think or say about me can't move me from my center of gravity. I'm comfortable in my own skin."
"Growing up in a conservative military family, he didn't think coming out as gay was an option. Having four kids at home only provided him with more reasons to hide in plain sight."
Eric Lively, serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder, discovered personal freedom through self-acceptance as a gay man while incarcerated. Raised in a conservative military family with four children, he spent years hiding his identity. Watching the Oscar-winning film Moonlight on a prison-issued tablet, particularly André Holland's performance as Kevin, catalyzed his journey toward authenticity. The film's portrayal of formerly incarcerated men wrestling with their identities resonated deeply with him. After initially living more openly following a cellmate's influence, Eric ultimately came out to everyone in his life. He now reports feeling comfortable in his own skin and unaffected by others' judgments.
Read at Queerty
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