I did it!!!

I thought obtaining a perfect credit score was impossible but by some miracle, I finally have an 850.

Not many people in my life know that I was a victim of financial abuse by a person that I was in a relationship with from age 23 to 26. He maxed out my credit cards that originally had no balances on them and he stole a boat and 5th wheel travel trailer that were only in my name. When I finally ended the toxic relationship, I came home to an empty apartment after work one day. He obviously didn’t take it very well so he did as much damage as possible before he fled from our state with my money and personal belongings.

He left me in financial ruins. I was in 6 figures of debt, I had $800 more in expenses than income each month, and more money stress than I can describe. I felt betrayed, suffocated by debt, and totally hopeless.

Like so many other LGBTQ+ people, I didn’t have anyone to help me financially so I taught myself how to create and follow a...

 At Fire Sphere Media, we believe that although the world has progressed further than most of us thought we would ever have a chance to see in our lifetimes, there is still a very long way to go. Racial and religious equality, LGBTQIA diversity, and a better understanding of disabilities and mental illness are all important aspects of life that we want to normalize in the work that we do.

Our hope is that everyone in the world who has ever felt like an outcast will feel like they are loved and accepted when they read our books or work with us. The primary focus of our work is to show the world that it is our character that defines us, not our gender, orientation, religion, or race. When you experience our work, you will realize that you are never truly alone.

Kara Ballenger is a graphic designer and illustrator who puts a special emphasis on depicting characters from marginalized groups. Kara has chosen to predominantly work as a freelance artist and at a lower...

What Do You Mean You Don’t Believe in Gender?

If you’ve visited my website you may have noticed that I am a transgender man who doesn’t believe in gender. How can I say that I am a transgender man and at the same time have the opinion that gender isn’t a real thing? Hmmm, that’s an excellent question and perhaps by the end of this post, I will have clarification not only for you but for myself.

You see the thing is, I have this knowing and it is strong and undeniable. I am a man. But what does that even mean? I think for me it means that I know without a shadow of a doubt that I should have been born with a penis. I wasn’t though, which is why I am transgender. Because I was born without a penis, the doctors took a look at me and said “it’s a girl”. Imagine making such a ridiculous mistake. Of course, it wasn’t ridiculous on the part of the doctor because our society says no penis=girl and penis=boy.

We all have a basic...

It Was Time For Him to Go

I’m coming off a high. I just fired someone, and it was one of the crowning achievements of my adult life.  I made sure to make a scene of it too by gathering everyone into the conference room, laying out a long list of offenses, and walking him out of the room and building to never return. It was awesome!

Nine months earlier I came out to my wife of 13 years...  I married her with the best of intentions, desiring to do all that was expected of me as a man in the Mormon Church.  From the time I was a child I wanted nothing more than to please my God by doing the things I was taught to do; including choosing the right, following the prophet, abstaining from coffee, tea, and alcohol, serving a mission, and marrying in the temple.  From there it was a simple matter of re-populating the earth and enduring until the end.  If I kept my end of the promises made at baptism and in the temple I would be rewarded with eternal life which...

As a lot of you know, I am a pretty open-minded individual. I would go as far as saying that I am probably one of the more socially progressive people in most of the local groups I volunteer with, my small circle of local friends, my lifelong friends from childhood, and even my immediate family. I mean, one of my favorite shows on TV right now is "We're Here". It's a series on HBO about three drag queens traveling around to small, conservative communities with hopes of opening the minds and hearts of the folks who live there, to be more accepting of people within their communities, who feel like they don't belong. It has ALL the feels and the best cast! I'm also an empath, I'm learning how to be a better ally, and I always pull for the people who feel like they don't really fit in. Mainly, because I know that feeling all too well.

I have very short hair, I have broad shoulders, not much to speak up for hips, I wear a t-shirt or hoodie every day and I rarely go without...