The GLBT community is in the process of great change. In the 35 years since Stonewall, our community has made huge strides forward establishing itself in society. Ironically, as we have carved out a clear public profile we have simultaneously lost track of one another. The GLBT community is broad and diverse, but in many respects we have splintered into factions whose paths rarely cross.

“Portrait of a community” aims to correct this imbalance by profiling the men and women who make up our community in an environment that describes him or her best. Additionally, each portrait includes a conversation about the substance of each individual’s life and how he or she views some of the cornerstones of his or her GLBT experience.

In time, the goal of this column is to create a complete and inclusive portrait of our community, one person at a time.

Name: Jonathan C. Thomas

Age: 31

Self-definition: I am spiritual, and by being spiritual I am learning more and more about life and who I am.

Where were you at 9:00 a.m. last Sunday morning?

I was at 24 Hour Fitness.

What person has influenced you more than any other, and how?

My mother because she was there through the good times and the bad times of my life, and she taught me independence to prepare me to move away from home at 16.

When do you feel unequal?

I don’t feel equal when people look at my wheelchair first and me second.

Where were you last Wednesday at noon?

I was sitting in the waiting room at UCSD hospital waiting to see my doctor.

When was the last time you felt proud?

I felt very proud the day I moved away from home at the age of 16 to care for myself and to finish school when my family doubted that I would finish.

If there was a defining moment in your life, what was it?

My defining moment, I think, would be being able to live through 54 surgeries, an abusive father and HIV, and still have a reason to live and smile each day.

Where were you at 10:00 p.m. last Friday night?

Last Friday I was in an N.A. meeting.

What is your most immediate goal?

My goal is to go back to college for culinary arts and maybe one day open a Louisiana-style restaurant here in San Diego.

When do you feel total joy?

I feel total joy either hanging out at the beach or hanging out with my really close friends, or doing both at the same time.

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