On March 1, 2025, Starr, my friend and a proud veteran, sent me a message that hit me like a punch to the gut. "I'm not in a good place. I can't get off the couch."
"What's up?" I asked.
She was triggered by a press release announcing the immediate dismissal of transgender veterans from the military. Just like that—years of service, sacrifice, and courage erased.
Starr served 13 years as a gay woman in hiding, navigating a system that forced her to suppress who she was just to survive. And this morning, that press release dragged her back to that same dark place—afraid, invisible, unable to exist freely. Hiding in plain sight. Again.
I picked her up and we took a ride to the water, set up our chairs and just took in the sun, the sea, the serenity. Self- care is the fuel to what's next. And coffee. There were no words at first. Then, they emerged from the silence, along with the pain, the frustration, the sheer exhaustion of watching people be dehumanized again and again.
This is not leadership. This is abuse. And we are so done with it.
This isn’t just about one policy. One group. One moment in time.
This is about every human being who has been dismissed, silenced, or devalued. This is about refusing to accept a world where people are erased because of who they are.
So we created this space. Not just to talk about it—but to stand up, speak out, share resources and take action. Because no one should have to hide in plain sight.