who to turn to when parents, relatives, co workers, and good freinds wont except you?

Re: who to turn to when parents, relatives, co workers, and good freinds wont except

Its a tough situation to be in, but sometimes until you confront the issue you will likely not be able to be who you are until you move away from the area and start your life anew. Have you checked with a local college or looked in the phone book to see if there is a GLBT group near by or PFLAG organization? They can help and you would get to meet other gays and be able to discuss your situation, gain support, advise, etc.

Be aware too, you are approaching the time when you may well be ready to "desert the nest" and once that happens, even if you are living in the same town, you can never go back home again. What this means is you are becoming an established adult and will be dealing with all the various situations of adult living. Once that begins, even if you have to move back home, everything is different, views are different, etc.

The one constant in life is change though we all fight it and about all universally dislike it. But we manage it and move on. This will be so with family (though you never completely sever the tie, unless there are special circumstances) and it will be true of friends, jobs, etc. With those changes will come changes in you, what you accept, what you won't, etc. What you may find in your pursuit for personal identity and freedom as an adult, if you stay around close to home, family and friends will have an established expectation of who you are and what you should do. As you try to step out of those expectations, many times you will find those around you trying to push you back into the box they have designed for you. Unless you have a strong identity of self and worth, it becomes a very stressful situation as well as unhappy.

So in the course of some situations it is good to try to find places where help can be obtained or advise given but also possibly a new area away from past influences in order to establish who you really are. I am not saying you have to stay away, but be enough at a distance so you can do and be who you are.

Just understand you have options. With those options are choices, with those choices are changes, but there would be anyway. Being proactive in your life is the best way to overcome the depression. AT first it may be very hard with attitudes and perhaps actions but with persistence and consistence other's attitudes will change. But for now the depression comes from your denial of yourself and agreeing (by default) with those around you that because of you being gay, you are a lesser person. You needn't confront outwardly, but you need to let them have their attitude with grace, but you don't have to believe the same (because you don't). You are giving more credence to other's attitudes instead of your own.

This is supposed to be a free country. It is not perfect but everyone is entitled to their ideas, thoughts, etc. You can agree or disagree, but you don't have to feel they have a more correct answer than you, unless logic and intellect dictates it. If you give weight to other's attitudes without proper logic or intellect, you could well join the Lemmings on their march to the sea.

Lastly, though it may seem to be a fight to you all the time, realize this will not last forever. You can make a choice and the equation can change. A journey of 10,000 miles begins with the first step. Get on the phone and call a GLBT support group or PFLAG support group. Take steps as you feel comfortable with, but keep the motion moving forward.

Sorry this seems a bit disjointed, but after 5 + hours on the road, a few hours running about in the big town and it being a bit late, I might be missing on a piston or have a valve stuck.

 

Re: who to turn to when parents, relatives, co workers, and good freinds wont except

:dry: i totally understand what you are going through. first, you have to accept yourself, if you already do then give you friends sometime to come around. if they love you their feelings will change. keep your head up.

 

Re: who to turn to when parents, relatives, co workers, and good freinds wont except

Here is a quick resource found:
GLBT Support group in the Austin area:

http://tinyurl.com/2zqq3p

PFLAG org in Austin area:

http://www.pflag-austin.org/

Hope this helps and you will contact them.