What is your name?

Bryan Folczyk

 

In what city and county do you live?

Lexington, Fayette county 

 

What are your pronouns?

He/Him

 

What does the word Queer mean to you?

To me the word Queer means freedom to love, unbound by a rigid definition of who I am and who I’m “allowed” to be with. I am who I am and I love who I love.

 

What was it like growing up as a Queer person in Kentucky?

For me growing up I didn’t realize I was until I was older, it was always the butt of a joke or the weird thing to be. I never allowed myself to consider who I am because I was too busy trying to be someone else. Once I was out of a setting where I was just trying not to be made fun of and the only people I had to speak to were the ones who care about me. I figured it out and I’m a lot more happy now.

 

What would you say to any person struggling to come into their own identity?

I believe that you have to be you. Little else matters. I know it’s really hard, and I still struggle with it a little bit, but you’ve got to find or make a place where you are allowed to exist as who you are. It doesn’t mean you have to figure out exactly who that person is right away, the journey is part of it. There isn’t a right way to do it, or a deadline you have to do it by. No matter what you land on, you’re you, and that’s special, so please be gentle with yourself.

 

What issue are you most passionate about in the Queer community? And what do you think the best solution or approach would be?

The queer community has a right to exist as any other. It’s shameful that it even has to be an issue. People should be allowed to live as themselves. Honestly I don’t know what the best approach is. The people in charge don’t play by the rules. Maybe we shouldn’t either.

 

Where have you found community?

I have a great group of friends who I’ll have forever, it’s nice to know they won’t go anywhere. Some from when I was a kid, some from when I was a teen. Lots of great new friends I met through my partner. These people have been everything to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.

 

How have recent political changes affected your life? 

The biggest thing for me is this current administration’s explicit attack on trans people’s rights to exist at all. While I personally am not, lots of people who I really love and care about in my life are, and frankly speaking the world would be a worse place without them. 

 

What are some ideas you have for bringing other queer people together for community?

I think one thing we can do to come together is to not appease those who would rather we weren’t who we are. You can’t be the “good ones.” The good ones are just who’s next. Do not let them divide us.

 

What are some LGBTQ+ experiences/artists that have helped you express the struggles or the joy of being queer? 

Rebecca Sugar’s influence on Cartoon Network as a whole was really meaningful to me growing up and to this day. I forever appreciate everything she fought for with Steven Universe, of course, but their presence on Adventure Time cannot be understated either. Another thing that comes to mind is Mobile Suit Gundam’s impossible to ignore homoerotic undertones between Char and Amuro, and more notably, our canonically gay lead characters in Witch from Mercury. 

 

Are there any specific queer friendly places you’d like to highlight and share with the rest of the community? 

Sometimes online is a great place to be! Be that a Minecraft server or an Instagram page or whatever, it’s a great way to find some great people you certainly would not have met otherwise, I met my partner online after all.

 

If you have some accomplishments you’re proud of, share them here! The accomplishments of queer people are something that should be celebrated!

 

I’m extremely proud of the relationship I’ve made together with my partner. I know we both do so much for this and it’s been a real treat every step of the way. They’ve really helped me see who I am, and I’m very proud of that.