Sam Donndelinger, Uncloseted

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This story was reported in partnership with Uncloseted Media , an investigative LGBTQ nonprofit newsroom.

Editor’s note: This article includes mention of suicide. If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned that someone you know may be, resources are available here .

Angela Thompson soaked in the garden tub of her new apartment in Columbia, South Carolina. With a freshly cut bob and a lease penned in her name, she reflected on the 30-year marriage she had just left behind. “I put down a deposit, I got the utilities and I furnished the [apartment] off Facebook Marketplace,” she told Uncloseted Media and The 19th.

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At just 17 years old, T

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