A while ago, King Arthur asked if any of the employee-owners might be willing to share how baking related to their LGBTQ experience. Here’s mine.
For me, baking and being gay are so tied up together. Baking has been a touchstone throughout my life. As a child, baking was a big part of learning to share, to help, to take care of, to comfort, to celebrate. As a young pastry cook, baking helped me learn how to lead a team, to receive a compliment, and to find the support and courage to come out of the closet. Living a baker’s life has taken me across the thresholds of doors that I never dreamed that I would stand before.
Being Out is uniquely personal. No two people do it the same. It’s not accomplished in a single act, and it takes a lifetime. I came of age during a very dark time in LGBTQ history. Harvey Milk was murdered, AIDS/HIV, culture wars; I’m sure you get the idea. I’ve been coming out for over 40 years now. Those intangible gifts of baking — comfort, joy, care — have always been part of my story.
Baking saved my life. It gave me the gift of time, surrounded by a lot of support, to be myself. I’m proud to be the me I am, and proud of King Arthur for taking the opportunity to recognize and celebrate every baker.
Happy baking and happy Pride!
This Pride Month, King Arthur Flour is raising awareness for The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention services to LGBTQ young people under 25. We've donated to The Trevor Project and we encourage you to do so as well: give.thetrevorproject.org/KingArthurFlour2020