"We quietly hoped and prayed it would all go away. We were asked to serve in silence in our military infantries when we couldn't fully express ourselves or reveal our hidden sexuality. We courted, became engaged to and married members of the opposite sex because of pressures from families, churches, society in general, and sometimes out of shame and fear of our deepest desires. Some of us even fathered and mothered children in the process. As young adults, we watched our peers die of a disease that no one knew anything about and watched openly gay individuals get blamed for most of it. It drove fear into our hearts and taught us to hide, and suffer in silence." - Michael Chimento, Founder of Picture Yourself Out
OUR MISSION
Click for PYO Exhibit 2015 details.
Picture Yourself Out is an organization that seeks to inspire, train and support novice to expert LGBTQ artists to create photography exhibits that depict their personal journeys of struggle and success. Its mission serves to champion fully self-expressed, empowered individuals, both within the LGBTQ community and the world.
Click for PYO Exhibit 2015 details.
Picture Yourself Out is an organization that seeks to inspire, train and support novice to expert LGBTQ artists to create photography exhibits that depict their personal journeys of struggle and success. Its mission serves to champion fully self-expressed, empowered individuals, both within the LGBTQ community and the world.
Our Goals
~ Gather communities at various exhibits in the nation or worldwide.
~ Create a bridge for the straight and gay communities to communicate in healthy ways.
~ Raise awareness of the struggles of coming out.
~ Prevent suicide in young and old strugglers in the LGBTQ community.
~ Provide support for those freshly out.
~ Provide hope and awareness in nations where homosexuality is condemned through violent acts.
~ Raise awareness of putting a halt to the bullying of gay youth.
~ Raise awareness of the negative effects of reparative therapy.
~ Create a bridge for the straight and gay communities to communicate in healthy ways.
~ Raise awareness of the struggles of coming out.
~ Prevent suicide in young and old strugglers in the LGBTQ community.
~ Provide support for those freshly out.
~ Provide hope and awareness in nations where homosexuality is condemned through violent acts.
~ Raise awareness of putting a halt to the bullying of gay youth.
~ Raise awareness of the negative effects of reparative therapy.