![]() Lichti, a lesbian, not only believes in equal rights and better treatment for LGBT drivers but for all drivers. His death was a catalyst for the group's formation. And so, sadly, he felt his only escape from pain was to kill himself." He had been a driver out here for about 16, 17 years, and this incident destroyed him. The people that, in my mind, killed him were not punished. "The justice system and the transportation industry at that time stood by, and my friend self-destructed and killed himself." She told of her friend, a gay man who had been gang-raped at a truck stop after being lured there for what he thought was a friendly meeting. Lichti and other LGBT drivers had met in 2008 at the Mid-America Truck Show. She has a dedicated route from Bowling Green, KY, to Flat Rock, MI's Ford plant. So, it's a very good place to kind of figure out who you are," says transgender driver Keaira Finlay, who has been driving for about four years, and currently is with Celadon Trucking in Indianapolis. "For the most part, with carriers, they don't care what you do in your truck or who you are as long as you're not destroying the truck and the load gets there on time. Not only can you take that time to start to heal wounds, psychologically, but you can start to become the person that you are happy being."Īll truckers are familiar with the meditative din of the road, but for the LGBT community, the siren song of the highways can be especially luring. "Driving gives you the perfect opportunity to recreate yourself. "Being behind the wheel, you have nothing but the open road and mile after mile to delve into yourself and be more introspective, analyze your life, and where you want it to go," says Shelle Lichti, a 25-year veteran driver, who is the founder of LGBT Truckers, a 4,000-member group.
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