Being a bisexual, masculine woman is something Sophia Fiorillo ’26 is proud of—but it took her a long time to feel that way.
She had an unstable childhood, bouncing from home to home and never quite planting roots anywhere. Attempts to come into her own were challenged by her father, who was largely absent during her teenage years and onward.
“He was controlling, but he wasn’t there,” Fiorillo explained. “He is very traditional, so I slowly came out, the first time when I was 12 and then again when I was 16.
During senior year, when she turned 18, she wanted to dress more masculine for an event. “My dad was like, ‘Do you want to be a boy?’ I had to explain to him that no, I’m just gay, and he still was not accepting it.”
Fiorillo dressed one way around her father and one way around the rest of her family. She’d wear “boy clothes” with her grandparents, mother, and brother, but change into more traditionally feminine clothes when her father was around.
“I slowly started cutting my hair because I always wanted short hair,” Fiorillo said. “And for high school graduation, I was put in a dress, but I made sure to drive myself to the ceremony. I changed into a suit and undid my gown on stage so everyone got to see what I actually wanted to wear.”
Yet it was her father who pressured her to go to college, an avenue she admitted she didn’t think she was “smart enough” to pursue.
Now, facing her own graduation, she is glad that her father pushed her toward higher education because it led her to Endicott, where she felt truly at home for the first time in many years.
“Growing up, the family business was managing rental properties. When they were all rented, we’d stay in a motel close to the property so we could work on it or clean it,” Fiorillo said.
One of the more traumatic incidents from her childhood, she said, was when her family was evicted from their home, and their belongings were taken.
“It was a lot,” she said. “I lived out of a bin for a long time.”
Being accepted Early Decision into Endicott was a blessing, Fiorillo said, because it opened the door to a steady residence and affirmed she did, in fact, have the academic chops to hack it in college.
But on the way to Endicott, she faced a surprise obstacle. Her father, who at that time was living separately from the family and was difficult to reach, wanted to meet her at the halfway point on the drive to Beverly.
“I sat around for about an hour and a half by myself. Then my dad showed up with $300 worth of clothing—dresses and girly stuff,” Fiorillo said. “He said, ‘Now you can restart your life and be normal.’”
At Endicott, Fiorillo did restart her life, but on the solid grounding that she didn’t need to change a thing about herself, that she was exceptional just the way she was, and belonged in any space she entered. On day one, she met her girlfriend, whom she credits with helping her gain confidence.
“I have anxiety because of the lack of control of my body and material possessions growing up,” Fiorillo explained. “Endicott is a place where I have control over who I am, and the people I met at Endicott have made me 110% a better person. My girlfriend loves me for being a woman and masculine, and that has helped significantly with everything.”
A marketing communication/advertising major minoring in business administration, Fiorillo is also grateful for all the workplace experience she’s gained during her time at Endicott. Through the Endicott Experiential Edge, the College’s pioneering internship program, worked with real estate company Mi Casa Su Casa, construction company Purple Ribbon Flooring, and media company SoccerHead (her favorite gig, given her love of sports).
As an Endicott athlete, Fiorillo further improved her confidence and gained a community of supportive, like-minded individuals. “I was not allowed to play any ‘boy sports’ when I was growing up because of my dad, so being a part of rugby in a very close-knit family, that really helped. It felt so freeing,” she said.
As her time at Endicott dwindles, Fiorillo isn’t shy about giving shoutouts to all the Endicott figures who have helped her gain her proverbial wings, including Cintia Miranda, Assistant Professor of Marketing; Amy Damico, Professor of Communication; and Colleen Zamagni, nurse practitioner in the Endicott College Health Center.
Fiorillo credits these individuals with helping her apply for much-needed scholarships, supporting her during mental health crises, and offering invaluable guidance and support over the last four years.
The person Fiorillo is most thankful for, though, is her mother, a source of strength, inspiration, and insight throughout an undeniably difficult childhood. As she looks toward the future, Fiorillo wants to honor her mother by paving a solid path for herself and embodying the morals and values her mother instilled in her from birth.
“I just want to live freely after everything that has gone on and be able to take care of my mom,” Fiorillo said. “She has built and protected our family. She has held my hand this entire time. Regardless of how many hands she has to hold, she will always have a hand for me.”