Posts by: Sophia San Filippo

Based in New York City, Sophia San Filippo has worked with Love What Matters as a lead editor and content curator since early 2019 and has acted as Managing Editor since early 2021. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Binghamton University who holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is passionate about personal storytelling and creating a positive space in media to better the lives of others. On a typical day you can find her rocking out at her local concert venue, admiring nature, or baking her latest kitchen experiment.

‘Your sister’s been in an accident.’ He broke the news. ‘Where are the kids?!’: Woman adopts long-lost nieces and nephews, ‘Our hearts are so full’

“I called my husband, worried what he’d say. I wanted my nieces and nephews. He responded, ‘Let’s go get our kids.’ We had no idea what we were getting into. We’d never even met them. One by one, they entered the room. I sat there quietly, but inside I was screaming, ‘I am your aunt!’”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 13, 2019

‘I had one job: protect my children. The next day he was gone and there was no way to get him back. I felt myself slipping away from reality.’

“On my son’s birthday, I laid on the floor, belly-down, with my hands on my chest to force myself not to hyperventilate. Minutes later, I rejoined the party with a smile on my face. ‘I am fine,’ I told myself.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 13, 2019

‘My father secretly recorded videos of me naked. I wanted nothing but my mother’s love and support. ‘Get out of my house,’ she told me.’

“I wouldn’t allow him to have power over me any longer. I stood up and walked out of the house. No one followed, no one cared. I had angels flying over me that night.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 12, 2019

‘He introduced me to his parents as ‘the woman he wants to marry.’ Our marriage shocked them. When I held our baby girl in my arms, skin to skin, everything was perfect. Until it wasn’t.’

“He wanted to bid on me but didn’t have enough money at the time. He couldn’t go home with regret. He walked over to me.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 12, 2019

‘People went out of their way to ignore me, as if being fat was contagious. Others used me as a lesson for their kids. ‘Look! This is what happens when you don’t eat right!’ I couldn’t find happiness, so food was my escape.’

“My weight got to the point where standing was painful. My wife got used to my answer being ‘no’ to everything. The panic set in. Was my weight ruining her life? Was I trapping her? Did she resent me for that? Did she still find me attractive or fun to be around?”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 11, 2019

After 32 Years Of Hiding My Vitiligo, I’m Letting My True Beauty Shine

“My parents handed me a tube of foundation and told me to keep my secret hidden. I will no longer live in the shadows.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 08, 2019

‘I was told I was ‘switched at birth.’ I lost who I was, I was stripped of belonging. She kept saying, ‘I’m so sorry,’ like someone had died.’: Woman finds herself while searching for biological parents

“’I promise to help you find your father when you turn at 18.’ When the time came, she refused to help. She let me go on this wild goose chase when she knew the truth all along. I decided to take a DNA test.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 08, 2019

‘When you were born, I vowed to love you no matter what. I will continue to do that.’ I returned to school for the first time, as myself.’: Trans woman finally ‘living her truth,’ ‘I will never regret choosing my happiness’

“To others, I was in need of fixing. All my behaviors were deemed ‘wrong.’ In an attempt to make me more masculine and ‘grow out of it,’ I was placed in sports. I feared what I would face if I decided to be true to myself.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 07, 2019

‘He’d show up at church, or anywhere else I was going. Without warning, I’d feel a hand grabbing my shoulder.’: Woman overcomes years of stalking, PTSD to become health coach

“He surprised me with 21 red roses. It was the beginning of a horror story. He started showing up at my house in the middle of the night. He’d stroke my cheek and tell everyone I was his wife. The police didn’t take it seriously. ‘Didn’t you tell him to leave you alone? Do it again with more force!’”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 07, 2019

‘A boy tapped me. ‘Why do you have a mustache? What’s that mark between your eyebrows?’ I was shocked. My face flushed with embarrassment.’

“My mom started letting me wear concealer. I wouldn’t allow myself to go out in public without my ‘mask’ on. I was terrified of what people would think if they saw me in my raw state.”

Sophia San Filippo - Mar 06, 2019

Sophia San Filippo

Managing Editor & SEO Lead