So, you would like to know even

_____________more about ME...

Growing up in South Eastern, Pennsylvania was a very hard thing for me to do because I always felt different, different from society and the other kids my whole entire life. I wasn't really accepted into a social group of any kind because of several indifferences. When I was around 12 or 13 years of age, I started to understand that "different feeling" and I finally realized why I was different. During this time, the other kids in school were getting associated with the opposite sex and started to feel some sexual feelings for them. Well, at first I tried to act just like the other kids and pretended to also have some sexual feelings for the opposite sex when intern I didn't.

One day after school, I had my friend go into our high school library to get "Gay People--They can't hurt you". I was extremely nervous to take it out for myself because I didn't want the librarian to think I was different and all. I read it over and over and found out a lot of information that was taught to me by my parent's was defiantly WRONG. The "Hearing us out" section in the book showed me that being GAY, to many, wasn't WRONG but just plainly different. When I started to feel more comfortable about myself, opened my horizon to new possibilities, and finally realized that "different" feeling in its entirety, I figured out that I sexually love other guys (meaning I am GAY). Still the same guy, as everyone knows, but wouldn't have SEX with a girl.

 

When my mother and I moved down to our summerhouse full time in the July of 1997, I seeked counseling because I couldn't handle my problems anymore by myself. With my counselor's help, I came out of the closet quickly. I actually blew the closet door right off the hinges with the help of many people. I am presently associated with GALA (Gay and Les. Alliance) Youth group in Maryland and PFLAG (Parents, friends, and families of Les. and gays) in Delaware. Just this past month, I met the governor and several high legislators because I am on a team that is in the process of developing a harass-free Delaware. A law was just passed recently to protect individuals from harassment on grounds of sexual orientation which clearly states, if someone harasses some one else just because they are "plain GAY" , they will go to jail for up to six months. The main reason why I fault for this law was because most of my life, mentioned in the beginning of this, I wasn't accepted by my peers and extremely harassed just because I was different from them . I have been through a lot of heartache and I feel that no one ELSE should go through it like I did.

 

People in general are nice until they come across something they know nothing what so ever about. I must have found many of those people because, boy-o-boy there are many losers out there. Just because the way I say hi or bye, or just because I like to hug people sometimes, they don't like me and put ME DOWN. They think I'm TOOO GAY for them when intern they are GAYER then ME. I am SO sick and tired of people (ding-dongs) thinking they are better then me. I'm a person just like YOU are with FEELINGS!

 

We don't live in a society of just blonde hair, blue eyed people anyMORE!!!! So, please be in favor of diversity and open your mind to the possibilities that ARE out there. YOU may influence a person's life with out even knowing it. Shine your LIGHT that GOD gave you before the world's darkness drowns you OUT totally. Who is more foolish: The child afraid of the dark? or the Man afraid of the light? Don't be afraid, diversity is a key roll in our society.

(A flower among many)