'They knew before I knew': Siblings forge new bond through LGBTQ+ community
Logan Shaver was in for quite the surprise when he came out to his sister as a teenager
Logan Shaver was in for quite the surprise when he came out to his sister as a teenager
Logan Shaver was in for quite the surprise when he came out to his sister as a teenager
This Pride Month, we're discovering many people in the LGBTQ+ community with incredible stories of differences, resilience, and common ground.
Our sister station KMBC talked with a brother and sister who share more than their genetics.
Meet Kansas City, Missouri, native Leslie Hunter.
“Always grew up a tomboy played sports never wore dresses," Hunter said.
Her brother Logan Shaver says, "It's funny because my parents will tell people they knew before I knew!" Shaver said.
Both of the siblings identify as gay. That common ground has bonded them after years of feeling like they needed to keep who they were close to their chest.
"I first knew that I was gay probably when I was 6 or 7," Hunter said.
Now 30, Hunter said her dad found out when he accidentally read a message on her computer when she was a teenager.
"I didn't come out of the closet — I fell out," Hunter said.
The news was difficult for their father to receive, but not because he didn’t feel he could accept who his daughter was.
"He cried because he wanted to protect me from all the bad in the world. He knew not everyone would accept it," Hunter said.
The brother and sister grew up the oldest of four. As children, they knew they felt different than many of their peers, even before they could articulate how.
“For me, knowing people knew before I did, it's almost special in a way," Shaver said.
The two siblings feel unbelievably lucky to have someone in their own family who can intrinsically understand the experience of discovering their identity growing up.
The sister and brother both laugh recalling telling their two younger brothers. The boys’ replied, “Okay. But we like girls.”
You may have noticed that the siblings' last names are different. That's because Hunter got married last December.