I HAVE EMBRACED WHO I AM

“Embracing who you are” is a term many grow into over the years. It is not an age, gender, culture “thing”, but knowing that you are comfortable where you are in the moment of life. Well, like Kirk many kids and many adults are growing up recognizing their sexuality at a young age and not allowing someone else's factor to determine who they are. Kirk learned he had to embrace who is and not allow outside factors to become his issue.

I had the privilege of talking with Kirk of how he embraces who he is and how he loves himself each day.

QSM: How did you first come into your own sexuality? How did you embrace that part of you?

Kirk: I first came into my sexuality, at a very, very, very early age around five or six. The embrace part of me took many years to fully embrace, but the beginning of that started in my early teens where I felt I was no longer going to continue to treat myself like I was different. I was going to treat myself just like everybody else I was going live out loud laugh out loud and whatever the consequences where I would except that.

QSM: Have you ever felt the need to change how you dress to make others feel comfortable? Why or why not? 

Kirk: No. I never felt the need to make other people feel comfortable with what I wear how I dress whoever don’t like how I dress is they problem not mine and I’m not going make it a my problem either I’m going wear what I feel like wearing when I wake up,  I’m the only deciding factor here.

QSM: We still live in a society that is not up for change. Being a part of the LGBTQ what are a few stigmas that many people seem to have a hold on?
Kirk: People still feel that fashion and beauty actually both go hand-in-hand when it comes to standards. Somehow they hold people of the LGBTQ experience to the idea that if you physically look like a male you need to dress as a ““ male, but if you physically look female, you need to dress like a female and that’s just pure bullshit Dress how do you feel that day when you wake up okay!!!!

QSM: Do you think (in your opinion) that the world will ever accept all individuals for who they are?

Kirk: No they never will because they’ll always be something. (In the words of Caresha) The world just doesn’t understand.

QSM: How have you used your platform to live in your fashion truth? 

Kirk: I try to celebrate people of the LGBTQ experience by posting content that you wouldn’t normally see on other big and tall platforms, because we matter.

QSM: If you can change the world with one word, what will it be and why? 

Kirk: Music! Music is the key to bridge the gap from who we are to what we can’t / don’t understand.

images shot by Kirklan @xlshoots