Me of many: a pretty epic journey toward self-love

Purpose The author recounts her complex journey of self-discovery, shaped by her experiences as a woman, a wrestler, a bisexual, a veteran, and a sexual assault survivor. From a young age, she faced societal pressures to conform to gender expectations, rejecting the traditional identity assigned to her. Her journey included overcoming discrimination, grappling with the implications of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” and confronting the challenges of dating in a post-divorce world. Embracing intersectionality, the author explores the intersections of her identities and how these complexities have shaped her experiences, leading to a commitment to self-love, authenticity, and resilience. Design/methodology/approach Reflexive auto-ethnographic narrative. Findings The author found that though her experiences were specific and unique to her, there are similarities with the experiences others have had and overlaps with many of the theories in her coursework and studies. Originality/value This work discusses the author's personal experiences and identities, and it is completely original and unique due to the wide range of life experiences and identities of the author.