Sophie Adams (she/they) is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, identifying as queer in both her gender identity and sexuality. Having become aware of this aspect of herself at a very young age, she has spent much of her life in search of a sense of community and feels deeply passionate about the importance of remembering the histories and lived experiences of marginalized peoples. She plans to pursue a Master’s degree in history or anthropology with a concentration on gender and sexuality, focusing especially on how gendered violence and anti-LGBTQ+ violence have been historically institutionalized in the medical and psychiatric fields

 

Sophie recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor's in history. She currently living in Santa Barbara, where she remains close to the UCSB library, and is using her gap year to pursue education outside of the student realm. In January 2026, she will spend a month in Sri Lanka teaching women’s education, and hopes to return home with a deeper perspective on the experiences of gender and sexuality in a culture less known to her. 

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As a PTLP Advocate, Sophie has contributed to making our resources more accessible by recording audio essays for profiles in our LGBTQ+ Stories from Nazi Germany initiative. She has currently provided audio essays for the profiles on Annette Eick and Rudolf Brazda (coming soon). Sophie is currently researching and compiling a new profile on Fredy Hirsch, which will be published in summer 2026. 

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Speaking about her motivation to volunteer for the Pink Triangle Legacies Project, Sophie says, "PTLP is a chance to play a role in telling stories I so desperately wished to hear when studying the Nazi Holocaust as an undergrad, as well as when studying the topic of genocide itself. I found that, often, our historiography painted a picture of genocide as the persecution of a single ethnic group, ignoring the sexual, gendered, and anti-disabled violence that almost always accompanies genocidal policies and actions. I believe this lack of range in our discussions of such mass atrocities blinds us to the early warning signs of a genocidal state. During this tumultuous time, a time in which I experienced my most formative years, I have felt my stomach turning over and over as those in power have waged war on women’s reproductive rights, gay rights, the impoverished, the disabled, people of color, immigrants, and all who do not fit into the state’s definition of a “true American.”