Echo Inducts Geoffrey Dorsey into Hall of Fame

By Staff, November 2017 Issue. Meet the rest of the Class of 2017 here.

When Geoffrey Dorsey moved from Nashville to Phoenix in 2009, it marked the beginning of several new chapters in his life.

First, he had never attended a PFLAG meeting until arriving in the Valley of the Sun. Today, he serves as the president of the nonprofit’s Phoenix Chapter.

“PFLAG started many years ago for parents and families to get support when they had a child who was gay or lesbian,” he said. “It has evolved over time into much more. Many thought it was just for parents and families but LGBTI+ individuals are also welcome. We offer support to all. Some people just need a place to feel safe before they even tell anyone or they are questioning their sexuality. We provide that.”

Second, Dorsey had never met a transgender individual before moving to Phoenix. This was key to his journey because he found out about the PFLAG’s leadership vacancy at a Trans Spectrum of Arizona (TSAZ) meeting.

“I decided to run for president last year. I had no idea at the time what it involved,” Dorsey said. “After a year of being president I love it and all of the opportunities it has brought me. For the most part it involves the community and connecting people with the support they need.”

Making valuable community connections isn’t something that’s new to Dorsey either.

“My journey has been a long one with many twist and turns,” he said. “I have always identified with the LGBTQ community. Even as I child I knew I was attracted to women … I came out as a lesbian in 1995 after I moved to Nashville. I had tried earlier but my family shoved me back into the closet before I could barely get the door open.”

Since childhood, Dorsey has memories of not quite fitting in as a female, having unanswered questions, having to prove his identity and trying to pass as a female (which he was assigned at birth).

In 2003, he and a woman he was dating began looking for answers online when they came across the word transgender.

“I thought this must be it, I am a trans man. So, I started that part of my journey,” he said. “When I got to know some of the trans men here and heard their stories, I realized I never transitioned, I just evolved over my lifetime …

The other new chapter that Dorsey’s move to Phoenix prompted was his search to find a new doctor. Upon learning of Dorsey’s story, his new doctor asked if he’d ever been tested. For what? was Dorsey’s reply.

“He said, ‘it sounds to me like you are intersex,” Dorsey recalled. “This was the first time I had heard this word … I made an appointment with an endocrinologist and told her my story. She looked at me and said, ‘you have Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. I am going to do some test but I am 99.9 percent sure that will be the results.’ I just started crying. I was 44 years old and this was the first person who ever had any real answers to all of my questions as to why I was always so different.”

All of Dorsey’s new chapters came together about a year ago, as he was on a quest for purpose. Following his move to Phoenix, he also found a reconciling church that accepted him: Dayspring United Methodist Church in Tempe.

“I have always felt a need to make the world a better place,” he said. “About a year ago I was really struggling with this purpose thing. I finally said, OK I am ready. You open the doors and I will walk through.”

Two weeks later he learned that if PFLAG didn’t find a new president, the Phoenix the Chapter would have to close.

“I stepped up and said I will do it, and from there other doors opened,” he recalled.

Keep readingShow less
WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

Keep readingShow less
by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

Keep readingShow less

Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

Keep readingShow less