I'm very new to this whole LGBTQ+ concept. Hoping you all can give me some tips in how to explore my sexuality and just in general help me not to be so confused. :smilewave I guess I should try to start from the beginning.. this year has just been an overall confusing time for me, breaking away from my super conservative Christian upbringing complete with loving but unfortunately gay bashing, other religions bashing parents, and trying to find my own way in the world. Growing up, my mother homeschooled my sister and I and kept us away from public school kids so we really only interacted with other fundamentalist Christian homeschoolers all the way through highschool. We were taught that evolution was just made up mumbojumbo and that science really didn't offer much nowadays. And of course that you had to be "saved" and try to save everyone else from the blazing inferno of hell (good job instilling fear at a young age!). Those "gay people" were put on the same level of pedophiles and people who had sex with animals. Wrong wrong wrong. Imagine my surprise when recently I came to a crisis of faith and also found I was repressing an attraction to women! :icon_bigg In any case I've got a lot of hammered in false concepts to overcome in both my spiritual (if you want to call it that) and emotional and sexual life. Trying to get through college right now and experience all that has to offer in terms of freedom. Being 25, you'd think I'd have learned to be my own person by now... nope. I was way too sheltered growing up. Couple that with chronic health problems that kept me out of college for about 2 years and you get confused but quite friendly and compassionate mwah. Still living with my parents (though if I had it my way I wouldn't be), trying to get my Bachelor's degree and hopefully start making my own living before going on to pursue medical school. Ah, life is crazy and awesome and confusing all at once. I'm excited for this but also scared. Kinda like a rabbit peaking out of its den for the first time in well, forever. I hope none of what I wrote offends people, it's just my very messed up experience thusfar. Hoping to get to know all of you and support and be supported by others in the LGBTQ+ community
Nothing should offend, as many of us came from or are in similar situations. We're glad to have you here! Welcome to Empty Closets! I hope you find what you're looking for.
Welcome to EC! Don't be discouraged by your homeschooling upbringing. There are a lot of benefits to homeschooling; which should offset some of the detriments as you described. Enjoy your time on EC.
