Summer of 99: Ashley's Journey to Coming Out as Non-Binary

Just like any teenager her age, Ashley was struggling to recognize an identity she could call her own. Or could we really say 'she'?




During the summer of '99, Ashley not only took months to research what it was that made her feel so different; she also learned that she didn't identify as a 'she' at all. With 'Cash' as a new name symbolizing a fresh beginning, our teenager knew-without a doubt-that 'they/them' were the pronouns closest to the way they felt in their own body and mind.




But the world didn't revolve around Cash now, did it? For them to truly place their feet on the path toward an authentic life, Cash had to face their fear and let everyone know who they were inside.




Between Cash's conventional family atmosphere, their girly best friend, and the bigger community of people comfortable in their collective comfort zone, Cash was forced to navigate the uncharted territories of coming out as non-binary.




Will they manage to cross over safely to the other side, or will heartbreak and pain become their friend throughout their journey toward being true? And how will the world around them receive the news that the seemingly ordinary girl it once knew as Ashley was now Cash?








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