The Challenges of Growing Up Without Representation
Throughout her childhood and adolescence, Emma struggled with her fluctuating sexual attractions, never understanding why her preferences seemed to shift so frequently. Without access to diverse representations of sexual identities, she often felt alienated and ashamed of her inability to define herself within the rigid categories she knew.
In her own words, Emma described how society’s limited vocabulary around sexuality in the 1990s left her questioning herself for years. The societal narrative taught her that confusion about sexual attraction was either a phase or a sign of indecisiveness — rather than a valid orientation in its own right. This cultural blind spot created deep-rooted insecurity, making her doubt her own feelings and leaving her without the tools to explain her experiences to others.
