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Came Out in Internship

Discussion in 'Coming Out Stories' started by theJosephDean, Jun 2, 2011.

  1. theJosephDean

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    The research internship I am doing through my university is all about diversity of all sorts, so I didn't think it would be a "problem" to anyone that I let them know who I was. One of the seminars we have to go through this summer is "Cultural Foundations". Our first assignment (on the first real day of the internship) was to write our name down and list four identifiers with which we associate ourselves.

    Liberal. Atheist. Vegetarian. Gay.

    Then we all had to share these and then discuss
    1. A moment I felt proud when...
    2. A moment I felt pain when...
    3. A stereotype that doesn't apply...
    about three of those things.

    "Well hell," I thought. Another member of the group is a bisexual female, and I already knew her via Facebook. She went first, talked about her sexuality, and gave her "painful" moment based off of that.

    Might as well get this over with. When I got to the "stereotype", I decided to have a little fun with it. I slept since yesterday, so I'll try to get this quote as accurate as possible.

    "Well, for my false stereotype, I'm gay, but I don't have a lisp. I'm not a raging sex addict, nor do I have any diseases. I'm not flirtatious, and I am in a monogamous relationship that has so far lasted a little over a year. And contrary to what the state of Tennessee decreed a week ago, I do exist. I very much exist, and not talking about me will not make me magically disappear."

    Everyone laughed, and it started a short-lived discussion about the ridiculous laws that TN has passed recently. A fellow intern, who by first glance I thought to be someone who could be homophobic (very Southern, very religious), turned out to be an advocate and activist for almost anything. Comments have been made regarding both my and the other girl's sexualities since then, and it's as if I'm saying I have brown hair. It doesn't matter, and that's awesome.

    Today, we had to give presentations that were prepared in just one night, answering the question, "If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?" I chose Prometheus from Greek mythology. On a related note, I hate public speaking in all forms.

    As each individual presented, we had to take notes on their style and on their PowerPoint and then give them constructive criticism and praise afterward. After I finished mine (thinking I was a nervous wreck), everyone told me that I did amazingly, I didn't rush anything, it was an amazing story that I told well. The previously mentioned gentleman said it was "epic" and made him really interested in the material.

    The only criticisms I can remember were that I should have spaced my bullets on the PowerPoint out and use more images (what images of Greek myth can you use in a public setting, though, really?), but nothing on the presentation style itself. Ego-booster, much? I hate presenting, but maybe I have a better knack for it than I thought. I read over all the pieces of paper I was given with my comments, and everyone gave great reviews and said they want to know more about me now.

    Later, in our seminar for GRE Quantitative practice, our facilitator was having trouble getting across a certain topic (yay rational exponents; my jam). I was trying to talk her through my simple method (that I use to teach my students during the semester all the time), and she had me just go up and basically teach that portion. It clicked for everyone after that. I didn't have any doubts in my teaching ability, but the fact that I saw everyone making eye contact, paying attention, and not letting the fact that they were learning from a homosexual defeat the purpose of their time there.

    I know this may seem silly to everyone, and readers are thinking, "Awesome. What's the big deal?" I guess it's just my first time coming out to complete strangers. Every other time, I have known the person or something. I was afraid that this would be my first bad or semi-bad "coming out experience". But it went better than expected.

    Here.

    In Tennessee. In the Bible Belt. In a program in which I don't know anyone.

    And the best part: none of my facilitators have a problem with it. My boyfriend went through this program two years ago. They all know him; they all now know we're dating. I've had two instructors say that they can see the attraction between us :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    It has just been one liberating feeling after another today, and even when - not if, when - this program drives me to my breaking point and makes me snap under pressure (and it will since it's a mock grad-level course, equivalent of a year of research in one month), I will know that the stress is due to academia, something of importance, and not over something as stupid as discrimination.

    :3
     
  2. Ethan

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    Very interesting.
    I love hearing stories like this!
    Especially considering where it took place.
     
  3. Chandra

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    It doesn't seem silly to me at all that you would want to share this wonderful story - it is a big deal! Congratulations on a successful coming out. :slight_smile:
     
  4. s5m1

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    Great story. Thanks for sharing.
     
  5. TheEdend

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    Congrats on going for it! :slight_smile:

    Those seminars sound like a lot of fun btw haha
     
  6. theJosephDean

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    It's just the beginning, "get used to it" type of stuff. I need to choose a research topic for AI like as soon as possible. By the end of it, we'll have an official proposal written up, comprised of 20+ pages and the whole presentation for it (which we'll present in one of our campus' auditoriums for actual people x_x).
     
  7. NordicSpirit

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    Awesome story! Thanks for sharing :slight_smile:

    BTW, I hate public speaking too. I could never get up in front of that many people and talk so well done on that too!
     
  8. Holmes

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    Thanks for sharing that story, it sounds great, and one of the more interesting coming out experiences. It's something I find a little difficult, coming out to strangers, even though I know I will eventually. And keep it going, wherever you are. My guess is that thirty years from now Republicans in Tennessee will be claiming they never had anything against gays.