Octavian Young

Patience may be a virtue, but it is not infinite. I recall the response my mother gave to that quintessential neighbor who seemed to delight in testing my mother’s boundaries for less than noble reasons. My mother’s response was delivered with proportional grace and conviction: “I may have a plethora of patience, but it appears that your presence requires me to replenish it more often than I care to at the moment.” Let’s fast forward to 2026, and I have my signature response for those seeming...

You may recall a time, not that long ago, in your town or a town close by, when it seemed less challenging to be a friend, supporter, ally, or advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it was a family member, colleague, friend, or neighbor, you offered your support with minimal thought, if any, to unfavorable reactions by others or having your support criticized. It increasingly feels like a profile in courage or drawing a definitive line in the sand that may result in doxing, loss of...

At some point, many of us will know, love, or be a Peter Pan/Petra Pan during our lifetime. As with any topic, there is a range and spectrum. Absolutes are randomly constructed and rarely reflect precise realities. This article is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, a clinical approach to the conventionally known concept of the Peter Pan Syndrome that was first introduced into pop culture in the 1980s via Dr. Dan Kiley’s book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown...