I think there's probably a lot of kids who get asked, 'What are you?,' and it doesn't feel very good. There's a story I share about coming home one day when I was very little and saying, 'Mommy, what am I?' And she says, 'Well, why are you asking that?' 'Because other people are asking me, and I don't know what to tell them.'

Sharice Davids: It's interesting to think about that and try to parse that out, because it's a piece of me that's always there. Jeffrey Masters: As one of four Native Americans in Congress, you have that label attached to your name, but growing up how much was it a part of your identity? You can read an excerpt below and listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

On this week's episode of LGBTQ&A, Davids speaks about advocating for her LGBTQ+ and Native American communities in Congress, the viability of the Equality Act, keeping her romantic relationships private, and her new children's book, Sharice's Big Voice, which is out now. Davids is also one of just nine LGBTQ+ members of the House of Representatives, all of whom are Democrats. It's something to celebrate, as well as a bittersweet reminder of how slow progress often is. Yvette Herrell from New Mexico brought that number to three. Deb Haaland, now Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland) Native American women to ever serve in the House of Representatives. Sharice Davids was elected to Congress in 2018, she became one of just two (along with former Rep. I'm not ashamed of any part of who I am.’” It's an important thing to be able to say, ‘Yes, I'm out. “I never want to shy away from acknowledging who I am, being authentic as much as I can be.

Sharice's Big Voice by Sharice Davids