Story:

These socks of mine are so fascinating, that’s why I love them. But when I pull them on, they quickly start squeezing and leaving marks. I hate that feeling. It reminds me of what it’s like to suppress who I am. One pair got loose over time, and now they slide down on their own. Those were my absolute favorites, the most comfortable ones. I wore them mismatched with another sock that had an owl on it. During the golden era of those socks, I came out. For the first time, I had a queer relationship outside the closet. My girlfriend back then didn’t want to be the person I came out with, because she didn’t want to carry the blame of having “turned” me into a lesbian in my parents’ eyes. I understood that, I really did, but I no longer wanted to hide my relationships. I was happily in love, and in that euphoria I came out – to literally – everyone. Luckily, we were living abroad, and there it felt completely natural to be OUT&PROUD! My life changed, especially after the breakup, when I found myself in the Czech Republic and then in Croatia, places that are so fascinating and that I love, but that squeeze tight around my ankles. After a long drought (the cactus socks), I found myself in a new queer relationship with a woman who’d just come out. This time, I didn’t want to be the person she came out with to her family and friends, because honestly, I didn’t really want to be in that relationship either. Some days are still hard. I haven’t completely gotten over that first relationship outside the closet. But that whole process helped me, and still helps me, accept myself wherever I am.

The socks from my exes (left to right): freak, stop talking, lemons, cacti, circles.