Ok, not sure where this'd go, but I'm guessing in this forum. Anyways, public speaking comes naturaly to me; It runs in my family. So I had this idea that when i do come out completely, which will probably be during next year, but who knows, I could help benifit my school by adding on a speech in front of the school on behalf of my school's Gay Straight Alliance. I figure that as long as i tell my friends, and talk this plan over with whoever (my guess is a consoler and someone at school to review it for effectiveness) to make sure I'm ready, I can prepare a speech against harassment on the basis of sexuality. Included would be a "You never know who's gay" part, where I could say right off the bat "I'm gay". "Ok, everyone who was talking during my last sentence, I am gay". the idea is that, everyone from my boy scout troop didn't see that coming, everyone from my catholic school and church didnt see that coming, everyone that knows me as a republican didnt see that coming. Everyone that has seen the pictures of me picking up "chicks" with my dad and my brother wouldnt see that one coming. Every time you make a degrading comment out of the words "gay", and "queer" and "lesbian", you hurt these people that are truely glbtq. Heck, it could be your best friend, and you'll never know, because after being so mean about it, there's no way they'd ever tell you. Just an idea. I'd like to hear anything else that you guys would add on to this kind of speech. I have no idea if I'll pursue this, but like i said, i am all right at public speaking, and if i can help my school, i will. I know what it's like, you guys know what it feels like; When you are closeted and someone degrades who you are without knowing it and without reason. Ok, I've been out of skittles for 20 minutes, It really is time to stop typing. (and yes, I love skittles. Just ask my "S" ball. Ok, bad joke, I could see it now, me shaking a magic 8 ball painted to look like a skittle asking "do I love skittles?" and it just reads "nothing is more true".)
Darn, I've been keeping track of the total posts and the total threads, and forever it has been in line with 10 posts per thread. And of course I had to put that over with the 200th thread at post number 1989.
Ok, I'm no activist, and I am a lousy public speaker. I go red and I begin to forget everything I know... so that's when my endless ability as a storyteller comes in action and I start to improvise... I'm quiet good at it, though I feel like crap every time I do it. It's not something I would do... but I would cheer you standing If I attended to your school, whether I was gay or not. It takes a lot of courage to do that, and the shocking come out will keep people off balance... that's always interesting... I should really love to watch their reaction... send pics ;-) although I do think it would be a good idea to talk it over with your friends and family, and if there is any a counselor... for they may be able to help you with this. Also... you go to a catholic school? if so... well... I don't know if it would be such a good idea... there are some branches of catholic church that are extremely homophobic... and there are some quiet accepting... still... it would be something amazing to see... hey! you could make sure someone is recording the speech and then upload the video... anyways... it seems that you have some time to think about it... and I'd suggest that you come out to your family first...
I think it is a great idea. The more we come out to our communities and teach our society, the better life will be, for us and the future generations.
I dont attend a public school right now, I used to in elementary school. My school has an assembly every year to "discriminate agaisnt distcrimitation" (i like that, just thought it up). So the gay straight alliance (which i'm involved in) had talked about using this next one for the purpose of tolerance toward gays. The personal speech thing just was an idea, so i am not sure if i'd do it. But, I think that having a student give a speach about it would bring more impact than a person brought in. Heck, If i do it and i do well, I could even go to other schools and do the same thing. I'd kind of need a tape of it to show to other schools then, and it could even be distributed to places where others could give a similar speach. Hmm, dont know if I'll do this, but does anybody have any other things that could be put into it?
im good when i wanna b, im bad at it when i dont wanna be. all depends on if i think it through first, NEVER MAKE IT UP ON THE SPOT!!
Agreed on planning. I am usualy most confident when i have points of what i need to present and no completely written out speach, but i think I'd have to have a script for something this big.
You need to overload yourself with information. Really and deeply know the subject... that's what saves me when I'm defending a presentation or something... Still, having a guideline of what you mean to bring up first usually works fine...
I actuall went to the library to get a book related to growing up gay called Peter, by Kate Walker. Here, I'm thinking, "no body will know, but what if the do?" so i saw in the online catalog that it was in this library in town that i've never been to before. so i went and i looked and looked, and couldn't find it. Finaly I worked up the courage to ask the librarian about it, and after both librarians were looking for the book they decided it must be lost in the library. So here i figured i could be in and out of the library in 5 minutes with the book, but instead i had to file a request slip so they could call me when they finaly found it. Oh well, it was a bit easier than going to the library for books like Growing Up Gay, or GLBTQ. I found this book list online at Youth.org
I think you can totally make a speech up as you go along if you're talking about something you're passionate about and relatively familiar with. For instance, when my friend got married, I was the "bride's attendant" (yes, I know, ha ha, how gay can you get, but I do look good in a tux and that way she got to be the only woman up front). At the reception, I got told I had to make a speech, which I had no idea about beforehand, so there I was in front of like 70 or more people, expected to say something profound and meaningful about my friend and her new husband's love and relationship... and it all just came pouring out. Of course, the downside is that I have NO IDEA what I actually said... I couldn't remember it at all once I'd finished saying it. The same is true when I talk about gay stuff--I'm completely in my element and I'm good with audiences, so I can ad lib like mad if I need to. Passion is, I think, the single most important thing when you speak publicly. If you aren't passionate about what you're saying, or can't at least fake it *grin*, people tune out. Well that and of course you have to be able to project, but that's never been a problem for me.
Ha! Not sure if I can help on the "coming out" part - but.... I've had to do a few of these. Apart from speaking to groups of people in a work environment, I have also done quite a few "Best Man" or "Eulogy" type deliveries. I usually find it works best for me if I know my subject matter (which, if it is on a personal level is usually pretty easy). I will write out and refine a "speech" that I would like to make - then I will just summarise important "memory jogger" headings or points on a card. Using that, I will then make my speech - and it will normally come out pretty much as originally written - but with rather more of an "impromptu" feel than (and there is nothing worse than this) someone reading from complete notes. Just having subject headings, plus a knowledge of what you want to say, enables you to just glance at your "reminder" points, but still maintain eye contact with your audience and keep it "interesting" and connect with them. Of course, make sure you vary intonation, pitch and show enthusiasm as well - nothing is so boring as a monotone, passionless delivery :icon_wink.
omg, thats nearly exactly the same as what i have planned for next year, my speech is in the writing stage still, i'm a public speaker to, only i'm not using mine to come out, i'm not ready for that yet, it's just to make people see that people of diferent orientations to them are just that...people
I wish I had the guts to do that! That would be an amazing presentation to attend. You should DEFINATELY have someone record it! If you are generally well-known around your school (as alot of ivolved students are...), the shock value of coming out in front of an audience would definately leave some people thinking. On the other hand, I completely agree with talking to your friends and family beforehand. Kudos! And good luck!
I think its a GREAT idea! You don't say if you are in high school or college but I definitely think you should get administration approval. Recently their was a high school journamlism teacher who allowed a pro-gay article in the school newspaper and she ended up getting severely reprimanded from it and sent to another school. She won't be able to teach journalism for something like three years. So plan it carefully. Talk to administration and tell them what you would like to do and give them good reasons WHY you want to do this. Get back-up from supportive people like the GSA Advisor, other teachers, and parents of GLBT kids. This kind of speech can be very benficial to those still in the closet and can help others who aren't understand just a little bit better! Good luck!
I absolutely love the idea. I enjoy public speaking, and I think it would be an extremely good way of helping stop discrimination.
It's a good 'theory' but unfortunately (well here anyway) it doesn't work that well. As the saying goes; 'You can't change the wind which doesn't want to change' I do a lot of public speaking both at my school and out of it (other schools, public events etc) and have discussed it many times, including info about myself. My best friend is also the NSW SRC (student reps) and does a lot of work on it because she has so many GLB friends but normally just hits a brick wall of ignorance. Ultimately, it all helps. Any awareness we can bring to the discrimination helps. The biggest fight we have to face is convincing people that you can't generalize under stereotypes and that people don't chose their sexuality.
Great idea I was thinking of doing it in class we had to a speech on protest I was going to do it on GLBT rights and discrimination but ended up doing it on Blood Diamonds and what you have written about the speech is pretty good
I like the idea, but I'd caution against building the speech too heavily on top of the "nobody ever guessed I was gay" premise. Because no matter how "straight-acting" you are and were, I can guarantee you that at least three people will come up to you and say "dude, I guessed you were gay back when you were fourteen". And if that's true of even a couple people, it does undercut the entire argument. After all, one should refrain from making anti-gay comments not because somebody in the room might be gay. One should refrain from making anti-gay comments because it's friggin' wrong. Lex ps My father's from Fond Du Lac. Representin'.
