Kris Winters will be reading some of their original poetry at the 2023 Houston Transgender Unity Banquet

Kris says, “My name is Kris Winters, and I am non-binary. I go by they/them/their. My husband and I have been happily married in a monogamous relationship for 5 years, but we both acknowledge that I am openly bisexual. Sharing these huge parts of myself with him has strengthened our relationship, and we are lucky to have found wonderful friends and allies.
     After concealing my gender identity and my sexual orientation for nearly three decades, through trauma, abuse, and struggle after struggle with depression, eating disorders, and malnourishment of the mind, body, and soul, a lightbulb finally turned on inside my mind: I did not owe it to anybody to stay locked away from the world. I stopped caring what publicly embracing my gender identity would do to the egos and reputations of others and instead believed for the first time in my life that I deserved to be my full, authentic self. I understood at last that nobody had the right or the power to keep me in hiding. 

Since that day, I have never looked back. Instead, I focus forward on giving others in our LGBTQ+ Community the assurance, support, and validation that I never had: We are all wonderfully unique, caring, and complete human beings, and each of us is worthy of love.”