It’s Not Complicated Anymore: Living Out and Proud

Heather K.
Acquisitions Relationship Manager
Lake Park, UT
Pronouns: She /Her

Tell me I’m gay
I grew up in a religious household and wasn’t exposed to the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. I always felt different from everyone else. I spent a long time hating myself. It took a friend of mine telling me that I was gay for me to really begin to look into myself and into what being gay was. It was a huge weight off my shoulders to finally understand who I was. It’s helped me finally love every part of myself completely.

It’s not complicated anymore
I would tell my younger self that it will all make sense. My relationship with myself and my identity isn’t complicated anymore. I’m a lesbian, wife, stepmother, daughter, sister and friend. Heather is Heather.

It’s taken me a long time to get here and it was worth all the pain and sadness. I also married a very beautiful woman so that would make my younger self happy!

The moment I became an adult
My dad passed away 15 years ago and that was my “becoming an adult” moment. I was 19 and that pushed me to really begin my life.

Benefits without a marriage certificate
Discover has been amazing! When I started here, I wasn’t able to get married legally, but that didn’t matter. If I needed time off for my wife or my daughter, I got it. The company treated my family as my family, regardless of the structure. I’ve been able to talk about my life without fear.