Out Spotlight LIX

Today's Spotlight is on Tully Satre, writer and activist, who has become a national youth activist for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights at the age of 16.

Satre was born on May 17, 1989 in Dover, DE, his family setting in the Culpeper Virgina. Attending Catholic schools all his life he does not know how his entire middle school found out when he was 13 that he was attracted to guys. Satre, who was shy and still closeted, lost all his friends. He said teachers at his Catholic school told his parents he was gay and began treating him differently.

"I felt like a circus animal," "I've had people spit at my feet. I've had people give me harmful remarks."


From the day he discovered that everyone knew about his sexuality, life has not been easy for Satre, but it has been getting better. His grades fell but have since improved. Although he has heard hurtful comments from peers and strangers, he said his parents are very supportive.

But he felt alone in largely rural Culpeper County. There was no place or group that brought gay people together. When the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill in 2005 limiting the contractual rights of gay men and lesbians, Satre felt he had to do something. He went to the town board with this question.

"I first want to thank you for being here. I really appreciate when our elected officials are so willing to allow the public to speak with them. I wanted to speak with you in regards to a Hate Crimes bill that was introduced in Congress not too long ago. This bill sought to add ’sexual orientation’ to the country’s list of types of people that are victims of hate crimes. I myself have been victim to threats and assaults of hate crime based on the fact that I am gay, and I am a Virginian. Only two weeks ago my friend was in Richmond when he walked out of a restaurant with his partner another person called him a ‘faggot’, drew a knife, and attacked my friend. Luckily, my friend lived — others are not so lucky. Last year, you supported legislation which sought to add ’sexual orientation’ to the nation’s hate crime list, and for that I thank you — but later this year you said that you regret your support for this bill and would not support this bill in the future, why is that?"


"I wanted somewhere to go," he said. "I didn't really see a lot going on in our community." The following June, Satre founded Equality Fauquier and Culpeper, the first gay rights group in those counties. Fauquier and Culpeper are two of the most conservative counties in the state of Virginia. His group has been recognized by Equality Virginia, a statewide gay rights organization. Its initial goals include persuading schools and local governments to change nondiscrimination policies to include sexual orientation.

The group has received hundreds of e-mails from young gay men and lesbians telling stories of discrimination and voicing support for the group. Some of them told of being thrown out of their homes and falling victim to drugs and unsafe sex because they felt alone and unwanted, he said.

He served as the hired Executive Director of Equality Fauquier-Culpeper since its inception in June 2005, headquartered in Warrenton, Virginia. He stepped down from his position with Equality Fauquier-Culpeper in June 2007. In January 2006, Tully founded Commonwealth Education Equality Virginia (CEEVA), a statewide organization advocating for GLBT/Q youth, and is current president of the board. He is the founder of The Voice Project for LGBTQI Equality, Support & Inclusion, an internet outreach program for GLBT/Q youth which also promotes civic participation among teens for equality. (TVP formed as a national web and community-based organization which sponsors the online network project known as Equality Myspace.)


He was also nominated to serve on the Board of Directors for Equality Virginia, to become the first teenager to serve on a statewide gay rights organization in the United States but could not accept the position because he was under the age of 18.

Satre is a blogger for The Advocate, and also maintains a personal blog on activism which can be found online at Tully Satre