Last week, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law requiring teachers to include lesbian, gay and transgender people in the study of history. 

This week, on StoryCorps, we hear from a woman who was born in 1955, but only recently had the courage to come out. 

At the StoryCorps booth in Chicago, Amy Sheffield spoke about her experiences of being silenced early on and her journey toward self-acceptance.

Special thanks to Karen Morris, who interviewed Amy.

Bill Healy produces StoryCorps Chicago for WBEZ and teaches journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him @chicagoan.