2017 National Coming Out Day Book - Final v2

Adnan Barqawi, Laurie Williams, and Jay Williams - 2007

That night, I decided to explore New York City’s gay-scene with Adnan. I went to my first gay bar ( Pieces – it’s at the corner of Christopher and Gay Street – I highly recommend it), attended my first Drag Show (Drag Queens can be intimidating!) and even witnessed the remarkable effectiveness of Grindr. That same night, I committed myself to understanding gay culture on an emotional level. I came out as an Ally at Altria and an active member of MOSAIC to demonstrate my commitment to Adnan and all my LGBTQ co-workers that share his story.

Jay Williams

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