Becoming ourselves rarely follows a straight line. Across generations, cultures and identities, these seven stories find queer people confronting the expectations placed upon them and discovering that authenticity is worth the risk.

Charlie escapes a hostile home through the whimsical world of his eccentric grandmother, only to find that even his sanctuary cannot protect him forever. A tipsy reunion between a Latin trans woman and a skater boy from her past becomes an intimate and comedic exploration of post-surgical sex, shared history and a body she is still learning to celebrate. After losing her grandmother’s cherished dumpling recipe, a 65-year-old woman reconnects with a childhood friend—and the relationship they never had. A young woman receives some revealing reactions when explaining her sexuality to prospective partners. An 11-year-old boy experiences an unexpected awakening in the men’s showers at his neighborhood pool. In Sierra Leone, best friends Aya and Boi decide to marry one another to escape the pressure to conform. And an Army major and her autistic, nonbinary child race through Washington, D.C., trying to reach a life-changing music audition.