Thanks for your interest in the When Project! Here are answers to questions people have have has about the project so far.
Why would people want to hear my story?
Publicly telling your story is a courageous source of strength (and possibly an encouraging resource for those still on the road to acknowledging who they are.) The LGBTQ+ community is a diverse group of individuals and having an open platform to express our individual experiences, learn about each other, better understand all the ways we are alike brings our community closer together.
How do I participate in the When Project?
Record a video telling us who and where you are, and about when you first realized you are lesbian / gay / bisexual / transgender / queer (et al) and upload it to the video hosting site of your choice. (Use #whenproject and #whendidyouknow when you upload your video to help people find them when they’re not browsing this site.) Lastly, use the SUBMIT VIDEO button on this site (in the upper-right corner on desktop, or the final link in the mobile site menu) to send us your video’s URL to have your unique experience featured as part of this project.
What should I include in my video?
This is your story and you should tell it the way you think is best. For continuity of the project, there are a couple things I hope everyone will include
- Tell us your name
- Tell us where you are (or were when you knew)
- When did you first know you are lesbian / gay / bi / trans / queer / other? Let us know how you identify.
- Any other relevant details you’re comfortable sharing that help us understand the context or outcome of your story.
- Please try to keep your videos under eight minutes
What video hosting site should I use?
You can use whatever video site you choose. YouTube and Vimeo are popular choices because they’re free and widely supported.
Do I need any special video or editing equipment?
No way! Use your cell phone, or whatever enables you to easily capture your story and get it online. YouTube even lets you record and upload directly from their iPhone/iPad app.
So I submitted my story (YAY!) … What happens now?
Depending on the volume of videos that are coming in, it will take a day or two for me to review and post your video to the site. Once I do, I’ll email you the site URL for your video and you can share on your social media or with friends. Be sure to use #whenproject and #whendidyouknow so people can easily find your videos in context of the project when they’re not on the official site.
I am not out and am not ready to tell my story. Do you know of any resources or communities I can connect with?
Everyone’s journey is a personal one. I would suggest visiting XXXXXXXXXXXXX to find groups or resources in your area. If you are contemplating hurting yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention helpline right away at XXXXXXXXX. I hope the stories collected in this project will help you know you are not alone and we are everywhere. Stay strong and you will find an accepting community of people who love and support you for exactly who you are.
I have other questions… how can I contact you?
Please email me at whenprojectinfo@gmail.com to ask specific questions. I’ll add more questions to this list once I have a better idea of what else people want to know.
Thanks and love!
– ❤️ Courtney