Each year though the month of June, Pride is celebrated by members of the Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ), community and allies nationwide. Rainbow flags fly high, people celebrate loudly and remember the lives of LGBTQ members taken too soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pride can be found everywhere, especially here on campus through TAMUK\u2019s very own Unity club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evan Apollo Hernandez, senior fine arts major and secretary of Unity, has faced many challenges in promoting his gender identity. From being kicked out of the Catholic church and picking out his new name, he\u2019s faced many highs and lows that culminate into who he is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy name is Evan Apollo Hernandez. I let my mom choose my name because I didn\u2019t know what would suit me,\u201d he said. \u201cAll I knew was that I wanted a Greek middle name because of my practice and religion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hernandez identifies as nonbinary transmasculine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis means I am assigned female at birth, but I don\u2019t feel like a female, but I also don\u2019t exactly feel like a male even though I express myself in a masculine way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He recounts knowing from a young age his gender identity was different from his assigned sex at birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBelieve it or not, I was three when I realized I didn\u2019t feel like a girl,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cI was devastated when I was growing up because I looked like a girl, I sounded like a girl, and had to act feminine. If I didn\u2019t act feminine, my family and strangers would ask questions and that was always uncomfortable. It hit me hard when I was in middle school. I never felt like I belonged and it just made me isolate myself more because I was also being bullied for being bisexual even though I never told anyone that I was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hernandez came out in August 2017 to close friends and to family in December of the same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy parents and grandmother took it very well, however, my older brother did not,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hernandez has received many reactions to his coming out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve gotten really good reactions where people welcome me openly, and I\u2019ve gotten reactions that I did expect such as people telling me \u2018you\u2019ll always be (old name\/deadname) to me\u2019 or \u2018no, you\u2019re still (deadname)\u2019, and I\u2019ve gotten worse reactions where people call me crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deadname is a term used to describe someone\u2019s birth name that they no longer recognize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen talking to someone that goes by a different name than their deadname, please use the name they go by unless they say differently,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hernandez says he was kicked out of his Catholic church but has found comfort in <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paganism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen I tell people my pronouns, I just say He\/Him to avoid much tension\u2026 even now it\u2019s tough for me to correct people because I\u2019m still seen as very feminine,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m still terrified to correct people, especially with knowing how many people would be willing to harass me for it, seeing as many people are against the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hernandez started transitioning socially in August 2017 and medically in July 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPersonally, a really good support system is what I recommend to anyone whether it\u2019s family or friends or even a support group on the internet. Support is one of the best things you can have,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TAMUK\u2019s Unity is an LGBTQ organization for students to support one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMembers in Unity have walked with me to protect me when I don\u2019t feel safe. When I changed my pronouns from He\/Him to He\/They, everyone automatically listened to me and didn\u2019t question me. Unity showed me that I have a community that cares and accepts me, and that\u2019s what I needed. Everyone is so open, accepting and loving. Even if you need someone to vent to or talk to, there\u2019s almost always someone available, even if it\u2019s 3 a.m.,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to its Twitter biography, Unity provides an environment for students that fosters a sense of belonging and promotes the interest of the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n