Hiya! My intro:

[Sapphyra]

Hi everyone. My net name's Sapphyra, and I live in Lynchburg, VA. I heard about Soulforce through the media mostly and wanted to find out more about it from the mouth of Soulforce, so I came to the website and checked it out. I think it's awesome what the Equality Ride is doing!

As far as my background goes, I'm a 25 y/o mom working full-time and going to college online full-time as well. When I was a young girl, I knew my father had a brother, but the family never spoke much about him. As I got older, I learned the full story of my uncle. When he was married with two children, he came out to the family that he was gay. This was a little over 30 years ago. When this happened, the entire family disowned him. My father did not speak to him for about 20 years up until my uncle called our house to see if they could talk. They have since reconnected and seen each other on many occasions. My father knows he will forever live with the fact that he missed out on 20 great years of his brother's life.

So, here I am! I'll be checking out more of the forums today and maybe posting as well. I've always been more of a lurker, but we'll see. :) *waves*

[Zerbie]

Hi everyone. My net name's Sapphyra, and I live in Lynchburg, VA. I heard about Soulforce through the media mostly and wanted to find out more about it from the mouth of Soulforce, so I came to the website and checked it out. I think it's awesome what the Equality Ride is doing!

As far as my background goes, I'm a 25 y/o mom working full-time and going to college online full-time as well. When I was a young girl, I knew my father had a brother, but the family never spoke much about him. As I got older, I learned the full story of my uncle. When he was married with two children, he came out to the family that he was gay. This was a little over 30 years ago. When this happened, the entire family disowned him. My father did not speak to him for about 20 years up until my uncle called our house to see if they could talk. They have since reconnected and seen each other on many occasions. My father knows he will forever live with the fact that he missed out on 20 great years of his brother's life.

So, here I am! I'll be checking out more of the forums today and maybe posting as well. I've always been more of a lurker, but we'll see. :) *waves*

Hi Sapphyra, warm welcome! :) You sound busy! Please take a moment to post now and then.

I totally relate to your family's story. My mom's cousin was disowned for being gay several years before my mom met my dad. The family had NO contact with him whatsoever for 35 years. When they finally did re-connect, they made a few painful attempts to seal the gaping chasm of distance, which was a little something, at least. Yes, it takes a huge toll on the family members when a gay loved one is disowned - my mom and her cousin were best friends. She lost all of that and the relationship never healed, all because my family felt they had to treat him that way. Not to mention, I didn't meet him til well into my 20s - he was taken away from me for that long.

Puts a sense of urgency on what Soulforce is doing, doesn't it?
Glad you are here.
:love: