Coming Out to Be Myself

One of the most real struggles I've experienced is the struggle with my sexuality.

It seemed to be that since I was a young teenager I have always thought that girls were pretty and I couldn't help but to sometimes look and be interested. When I was around 10 or 11 years old, I experimented with one of my best friends, a girl*, who was my neighbor. Of course, being young, I didn't think anything of it and thought it was just a game.

When I got a little older and was in high school I had a friend* that was gay. This friend and I became really close and were best friends. One day when we were hanging out, we suddenly kissed. This was unexpected for the both of us but somehow it was unstoppable. I was so scared and somewhat reluctant to continue a further relationship than being just friends. Inevitably, the relationship stayed just friends. This got me to thinking something was different about me; I started figuring it wasn't just a game this time. I became more interested in girls.

I was scared and confused for a couple months and was afraid of what people thought if I liked girls, along with liking boys. I struggled with my sexual orientation, but I came to a realization that I couldn't hide who I was and had to be myself. To my closest friends and family, this no longer became a secret of mine that I was keeping. Much to my surprise, a lot of people, including my mom, were accepting of me and who I was. This was a load of my chest and it made me think that since these people in my life were accepting, that other people would accept me too. A lot of people were accepting but I feel I grew apart from some of my friends because they didn't like that I liked girls. This was disappointing and somewhat hurtful but I learned that everyone might not have the same opinions.

Although some people aren't accepting of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered people, some people are really open minded and can stand by you for support. I have some lucky people in my life that do just that. I am grateful for those people. I am also grateful for those people who are against LGBT people, because without you there wouldn't be a fight or a struggle. Without ,the fight to gain rights for LGBTs wouldn't be so rewarding. Some day it will happen where LGBTs will be considered equal and have just as many rights as heterosexual people.

That is my coming out story and I encourage everyone to come out of the closet and be yourself. If you are struggling with your sexuality, don't be afraid of who you really are and follow your heart. If you are in the closet as a quiet person who only sings in the shower, break out of that mold and join your school chorus or sing on a street corner. Come out and be yourself...

...The Limping Lizard.