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did i just set myself up to be outed in my history class

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by josh9623, May 28, 2013.

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  1. josh9623

    josh9623
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    ok, so we are supposed to be working on a project in history class on great americans. we are supposed to make a poster with a bunch of information on it about the person. However, I apparently didn't read the entire sheet because we are supposed to present it to the class. now this sounds all well and good but the person i chose (and can't change) is Harvey Milk. so did i set myself up to be outed, or how would it look to you if you were in a 10th grade history class and someone did a presentation on him.

    If you don't know who he is, he was the first openly gay man elected to a public office (city supervisor in CA). Watch the movies on him. they document this man who is a key figure in LGBT history.
     
    #1 josh9623, May 28, 2013
  2. Lexington

    Lexington
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    I knew who Harvey Milk was. I not only was alive when he was killed, but I lived in San Francisco at the time. :slight_smile:

    It's up to you whether or not you want to use this project to out yourself. You can simply cast your presentation more on the historical aspect, and toward civil rights in general. Will some people think you might be gay because of your choice? Perhaps. But hey - it's accurate, right? :slight_smile:

    Lex
     
    #2 Lexington, May 28, 2013
  3. Ettina

    Ettina
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    I don't think it's necessarily outing you. He is a historical figure. Some people might wonder, but it's entirely possible for a heterosexual person to present on a historically important gay person.
     
    #3 Ettina, May 28, 2013
  4. josh9623

    josh9623
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    thanks lex and ettina, while i'm not really sure why i care if it outs me, i am not going to intentionally use it to out myself. also i guess you're right about him being a historical figure so i guess i'll be fine. if not i'm sure everyone on ec will get to hear about it.
     
    #4 josh9623, May 28, 2013
  5. BMC77

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    I'll echo others: it won't out you, but it might make people wonder.

    One thing possibly in your favor: as I recall from high school, when students do presentations in class, half the class is taking a nap. That half won't notice what you are talking about.
     
    #5 BMC77, May 28, 2013
  6. Ticklish Fish

    Ticklish Fish
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    that's the wrong portion lol? maybe there's a percentage who are panicking to having to go presenting, some maybe just half assed their project or some barely researched enough :roflmao: some maybe even just want to go home or whatever` XD

    but anyways, in the end you can think it's just a grade or it's just an assignment. what you take out of it or how other people take out of the project is up to you and to them.

    honestly, i forget how 99.99% of my high school projects went
     
    #6 Ticklish Fish, May 28, 2013
  7. UndercoverGypsy

    UndercoverGypsy
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    Yesterday I had a current events presentation that I did on DOMA, and although I bet that a lot of people are now suspecting, it definitely didn't out me. I would bet that your situation will be the same.
     
    #7 UndercoverGypsy, May 28, 2013
  8. Vegas Boy

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    You have nothing to worry about. It will just be the way you present it, if you just say it as a matter of fact and not be preoccupied with him being gay it won't matter. I remember last year we were having debates for Spanish class and I chose gay marriage and no one said anything to me. It wast a big deal. Then again if your really worried just ask your teacher if you could change the topic.
     
    #8 Vegas Boy, May 28, 2013
  9. Argentwing

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    They made a movie about him. You don't have to be a self-educated politician from humble means in order to look up to Lincoln. :wink:
     
    #9 Argentwing, May 28, 2013
  10. Chip

    Chip
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    Let's put it this way. I have an ongoing, good natured dialog with a good friend of mine. It's my contention that any time you find a "straight" male president of a GSA, there's about a 99% chance the guy is closeted. Otherwise... why would he go to the effort? (Putting aside that maybe he has gay parents or something.)

    I say it's all but impossible. My friend claims that it's possible and a lot more likely. It's the subject of a good-natured ongoing argument.

    I'd say basically the same thing about doing a presentation on DOMA or Harvey Milk or whomever. It's not proof positive, but it's certainly going to lead people into thinking you probably are. But that isn't a bad thing; my experience is, by the time you're ready to do something like that, even if you don't consciously think it through, it's your unconscious telling you you're basically ready to start coming out.
     
    #10 Chip, May 28, 2013
  11. Ettina

    Ettina
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    Well, if he had autistic traits, he might just have an obsessive interest in sexuality.

    I mean, I started a forum for a certain kind of rare chromosome disorder once. Don't have that chromosome disorder, nor do I personally know anyone with it. But I have an obsessive interest in chromosome disorders, and this one didn't happen to have any forum focused on it yet.
     
    #11 Ettina, May 29, 2013
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