Photo by Ellise Lesser

OUT IN THE OPEN: Stories of Queer Oppression & Empowerment is an original work of spoken word theater by Andy Cofino. All poetry is based on 92 interviews she conducted across diverse cultures and communities. Interlaced with queer history, the experiences of a wide-range of LGBTQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, ally) people are brought to life on stage through 16 original spoken word monologues, and connected through strands of struggle, resistance, and survival.

The Interviews

From December 2008 to March 2009, Andy Cofino interviewed 92 people from a plethora of different cultural, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds for her senior thesis at the Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace University. The interviewees ranged in age from 17-61, and were from over half of the United States, Japan, Hungary, Canada, England, Scotland, and Peru. The interview questions focused on sexuality, gender identity, homophobia, and transphobia, with a concentration on personal stories. Andy was curious about issues not usually discussed in mainstream media in the United States: racism within the LGBTQA community, bullying and suicide, everyday discrimination, and how straight folks and allies face homophobia and transphobia. After the interview process, Cofino translated these courageous, inspiring, and sometimes, surprising stories into spoken word monologues, which would become OUT IN THE OPEN.