Black Enough Man Enough de Gee Smalls

Black Enough Man Enough

Gee Smalls

One man's riveting, contemporary journey through multiple comings-out to authentically live his unique identity.
Black Enough, Man Enough
Embracing My Mixed Race and Sexual Fluidity
I knew I was different, called 'faggot-ass half-breed, ' teased for my light bright skin, soft curly afro, freckly face, and feminine ways. Growing up the child of a Black daddy and white momma in the Gullah Geechee culture on James Island, South Carolina in the 80's, I was an outsider.
My adolescent identity crisis of racial and sexual confusion led to a trip down the aisle with my high school sweetheart, the joy of fatherhood, and then into the shadows of the down-low before divorce and a tumultuous custody battle. As I embraced all of who I am, I developed my voice, using it to speak out on the racial and LGBT equality movements, as well as to say 'I do' to marry the man I love and create a realistic 21^st century blended family.

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Notă biografică

Gregory "Gee" Smalls is a father, husband, entrepreneur, life and relationship coach, and restaurateur, owner of Virgil's Gullah Kitchen & Bar in historic College Park. Born into the Gullah Geechee culture of Charleston, South Carolina, Gee is the only son of a white mother and black father who raised him during a time when mixed race marriage was unaccepted in the south. Gee knew since childhood that his mixed race was not the only thing that made him different from most of his peers, but like many in the SGL & LGBTQ community, he suppressed his same sex attraction for most of his pubescent years. His young journey led him to fall in love with, and later marry, his high school sweetheart. No longer able to stow away his truth, at 26, he was a divorced father with shared custody of a young son while simultaneously trying to navigate his life as a biracial, sexually fluid man. At 31, he met Juan Smalls and was smitten by the handsome man who he eventually dated, fell in love with, and married in 2009. With a Bachelor of Science from DeVry University and a Master's degree in Project Management from Keller Graduate School, Gee worked for twenty years in the Information Technology industry in roles that transitioned from corporate representative to IT consultant. In 2010, Gee co-founded Juan & Gee Enterprises which included the web-based talk show series LoveWorks with Juan & Gee, relationship and life coaching services, as well as custom event design services. He has been featured on HGTV, PeachtreeTV, V103 Atlanta, WAOK, as well as in publications such as Ebony, Swerve, Kontrol Magazine, RollingOut, The Huffington Post, and more. In 2011, Gee and Juan created "The Gentlemen's Ball," an annual black tie fundraiser which has grown from seventy-five attendees to over six hundred who come from across the nation and abroad. The event has honored and attracted allies and members of the Black LGBTQ community, and has raised thousands of dollars for scholarships. In 2014, the annual fundraiser expanded with "The Gentlemen's Foundation" whose mission is to promote the holistic development of Black men in the Same Gender Loving (SGL) and LGBTQ community. The foundation has awarded scholarships, established mentorships, and advocated health and wellness through media outreach and support groups. The nonprofit foundation attracts corporate sponsors and partnerships from organizations such as UPS, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, AARP, New York Life Insurance, Home Depot, and Gilead. In 2019, Gee became an Executive Chef & Restaurateur and opened Virgil's Gullah Kitchen & Bar, alongside his husband Juan. Named after Gee's father, the restaurant is located in Historic College Park, a suburb of Atlanta. Gee has been awarded a number of community service awards, along with being included amongst Business Equality Magazine's "40 LGBTQ Leaders Under 40." Black Enough, Man Enough is Gee's first book. Gee lives with his husband Juan and 19 y/o son, Gregory Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit www.geesmalls.com or email gee@geesmalls.com. You can also find him on Instagram @geesmalls and Facebook at MrGeeSmalls.