IN AUGUST, I SPENT 10 DAYS VISITING MY FIANCÉE ERIN and her son Andy in Maryland. Erin and I were celebrating our birthdays, and my soon-to-be stepson was about to start third grade. During my stay, Erin and I told Andy a series of collaborative bedtime stories: Erin would start, and whenever Andy wanted, he'd say "switch," and I'd jump in to tell the next part of the story. Together we spun tales of siblings who defeated an oil dragon in a magical realm made of paint, solved puzzles in a world made of food, and more. On the night before the first day of school, the siblings had escaped from inside a giant cyclops, and as we tucked Andy into bed, we wondered aloud about what both the next story and the school year might hold.
"Thank you for loving me," Erin said as we walked downstairs to savor the quiet hours between when Andy goes to bed and when we follow suit.
"Easiest thing I've ever done." My standard response. A cute little ritual we started shortly after we'd found the courage to say, "I love you," meant to express both the ease of our love and our gratitude for it.
I met Erin, a fellow activist, in February 2022 amid a moment of crisis for trans people. Texas' governor had already ordered the department of family and protective services to investigate families who were suspected of providing gender-affirming care to their transgender children. Trans youth were not only at risk of losing access to their health care but also of being taken away from their parents and homes. I took calls from parents who loved Texas, who had lived there for generations, yet were terrified that the state was no longer a safe place to raise their kids. Erin and I volunteered to help families raise funds and find safer states to relocate to, and it was in this work we found one another.
Denne historien er fra November 20, 2023-utgaven av Time.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 20, 2023-utgaven av Time.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Gaza's Doctors Face a New Fight - Polio has resurfaced in Gaza for the first time in 25 years, with the first case confirmed Aug. 16 in a 10-month-old unvaccinated child in Deir al-Balah, the enclave's health authorities said;
Polio has resurfaced in Gaza for the first time in 25 years, with the first case confirmed Aug. 16 in a 10-month-old unvaccinated child in Deir al-Balah, the enclave's health authorities said; the World Health Organization (WHO) announced in July that the virus had been initially detected in wastewater in the city.
Justin Theroux The Emmy-winning actor, writer, and producer on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, his roles in cult classics, and the enduring love for The Leftovers
I was absolutely a fan.
An adaptation of Three Women makes four a crowd
FOR A WORK OF LITERARY NONFICTION TO thrill readers the way Lisa Taddeo's 2019 best seller Three Women has done, it must offer more than just rich subject matter.
3 sisters and one empty recliner
DEATH CAN BOTH TEAR FAMILY MEMBERS apart and bind them closer-often simultaneously.
NATASHA ROTHWELL OUT FRONT
The creator-performer moves from beloved supporting roles to center stage in a deeply personal new comedy series
STILL PROCESSING
Not all ultra-processed foods are the same. Or, some argue, even unhealthy
IRON FIST
A crackdown on El Salvador’s gangs made Nayib Bukele one of the world’s most popular leaders. Is he going too far?
Long-distance relationships aren't just for romance
NURTURING LONG-DISTANCE friendships takes work, but the payoff is worth it-and even small gestures can keep bonds alive.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR DYNAMIC IS TOXIC AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Friends can be great-until they're not.
It's never too late to make new friends
CHRIS DUFFY ISN'T GOING TO SUGARcoat it: making friends as an adult is hard.