Editor’s note: “Pride 2024′′ is a collection of stories from members of Staten Island’s LGBTQ+ community, the milestones they have reached and the challenges they still face. If you have someone you would like to nominate for a profile, e-mail their name and a brief nomination to [email protected] .
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Growing up, Staten Island wasn’t the “queer friendly” place Tyler Lormel wanted it to be.
“I didn’t understand or learn about being queer through a positive lens,” said the 25-year-old drag queen performer from Pleasant Plains. “The more I grew up and experienced homophobia and transphobia, the more unsafe I felt.” Despite coming from a supportive household, Lormel’s journey to self-acceptance was long and full of strife; she faced rumors and bullying about her sexuality in both middle and high school, and her family feared for her safety.
Yet Lormel, who identifies as nonbinary, didn’t let that discourage her from expressing her true self: In the face of her tormentors, Lormel came out as a transgender woman — one who wanted to express herself in drag. The halls of Tottenville High School were her first runway. As a 15-year-old, Lormel “ended up getting in drag and taking a walk for the first time,” as a means to explore gender expression and “pull a stunt.
” “As iconic as this story is, I looked horrid, wretched, and I walked in front of everyone in my high school,” said Lormel, who now resides in New Jersey. Bu.
