Hey guys, so I literally just made this account, so here's my introduction post I guess. I was actually on one other LGBT forum, but it was aimed towards teens (I'm 16, almost 17 btw) and the majority of the forum was new users creating a post, and then having the post be shot down by older members. Most of the time they were just rude and obnoxious so I was like, this sucks, and I haven't logged back on since. Looking through these threads it seems like people here are actually friendly, so that's good. I am on another forum, but that's mostly about college, and most of the users there are pretty friendly and mature. About me: -I'm still in high school, going to be a senior, getting ready for the college anxiety. -I'm gay/bi, don't really like the whole labeling thing, just because I think it's something that's hard to define, and there's not much reason for it. When signing up I said I was a 4.5 on the Kinsey scale, meaning I see myself only seriously dating guys, but when partying (drunk or not) I find that I just get so excited that I'm into most people. So, overall the attraction to girls is there, but a lot less strong. -I play XC, Swimming (just quit so "played"), and track, and am also very involved in a bunch of clubs at my school. -I'm stay pretty up-to-date with LGBTQ issues, and I'm an athiest :icon_wink Coming out plans: Well, I live in a very liberal area, so I have to say I have it pretty easy compared to most. I have yet to come out to anyone, but I plan to start soonish. 1) I have one friend who's a straight girl, but she was president of our GSA, and I know she would be extremely supportive and helpful. I plan on actually telling her the next time I see her, as long as I don't chicken out. I should be seeing her within the next two weeks, hopefully sooner rather than later so I can get it over with. 2) I have a group of friends who I plan on telling this summer, again all will be perfectly fine with it. I don't have anything else planning for the near future, lets get through that first :icon_bigg In terms of my family, I know they'll be supportive (pretty liberal and secular), but I don't plan on saying anything until I'm in college, so a little over a year from now, just to prevent any awkwardness. Really, the only people who I can see having a problem with me coming out are one set of my grandparents (they're conservative evangelicals :icon_sad: ) but I don't know this for a fact. Even if they did, it wouldn't matter much because we're not close anyways. We've already had family issues with them, so my mother doesn't even talk with them. Oh well. Overall, I feel extremely lucky that I live in the time I do, and in such a liberal area. The only thing stopping me from coming out is myself- nerves ughhhh. I keep getting tempted to just send a text message to a friend and get it over with, but then I remind myself that I want to come out in person. If anyone read this-WOW haha. And if anyone skimmed this/read part of it-thanks. Hoping to post on this forum, and request to be a regular member in a few weeks.
Welcome! I read it all. It was actually kinda interesting. I remember being a high school senior and pre-college nerves. Let me know if there's anything we can help you with :king:
Well welcome to EC, and firstly you are lucky to have a GSA in your school! I have been trying to create one at my school, but most teachers said that they can't do it(right<.<) and the principal is cool about it(he even put up a "No bullying" frame with details on the wall); anyways, coming out to anyone in GSA can really boost you a lot. And, sports-wise, I'm out and play XC(glad you knew that), Bowling, Track, and maybe Badminton, my teammates aren't really judgemental, but some are homophobic(not to the hurting point), and my coaches doesn't seem to even care that they see me hanging out with girls every second, wear girl jeans, and wear girl running shorts x); I mean sports is based on effort, determination, and hardwork, correct? As long as they know you are trying you're good. So yeah I wish you the best of luck !
1) I quit swimming because I just thought is was really boring, long and cold. Unlike with running, when you're swimming it's face in the water so you can't talk to anyone. Just back and forth for 2 hours a day. 2) Our GSA doesn't even do anything. We don't have any homophobic bullies or anything, just a lot of jocks who say dumb things. They have no meetings, and the one thing they do is hand out ribbons for Day of Silence. I was randomly chosen to be the president just because my friend who is the ex-president didn't know anyone to nominate as president since they do so little, and I was like "i'll do it" mainly for college application reasons. I'll try to do more this year, just I don't know what to do at a school with no openly gay kids ie. no meetings cause no one would come.
As far as the GSA... remember that it's the gay straight alliance. I've always thought that was brilliant on the part of whomever thought it up because the closeted people can always come to the meetings and claim they are a "straight ally." So you could try and really promote it, specifically encouraging straight-but-supportive people to come. Or maybe plan some event that would be really fun for everyone and don't represent it as a "gay" event but just some fun thing sponsored by GSA. An aside: One of the topics of friendly debate between one of my friends and me is the topic of GSA presidents. I think if you have a male GSA president who claims to be straight, unless he has gay parents or something, the chances are better than 99% that he's a closet poof. (It's a little different with straight women, because you have fag hags.)
