68 year-old, Caucasian, gay man William Lynn Donaldson in Orlando. William was a teacher before he retired. Behind the scenes photography and video and assistant: Juan Pablo Ampudia, juanpablo@cuartocreativo.com. Phone +52 1 55 8676 5741. Photography by Robin Hammond, pitures@robinhammond.co.uk. Editor: Mallory Benedict, Mallory.Benedict@natgeo.com, +1 202.791.1282. 22 March 2019

William Lynn Donaldson /

“Coming to terms with being gay as a child was pure hell. It was a time that are pretended homosexuality didn’t exist. At least it wasn’t welcomed. A child in this environment is confused, scared and very ‘alone’.”

As a teacher in later life, I could not believe how the social situation has changed. Today gays have clubs, gays are tolerated more and more each day.

Sometimes I just want to replies: ‘you youngsters have it easy compared to the tight atmosphere and lack of acceptance we encountered.’”

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