When Erik came out to his father, he was given two choices: “Get this fixed or get out of the house.”
At just 17 years old, Erik found the courage to stay true to who he is, pack his bags at his dad’s command, and left home. Erik’s mother convinced his father to let him move back in the house, and he did, but was not allowed to mention anything at all about him being gay. Continue Reading to watch Erik’s story.
Born on the banks of the Ohio in Owensboro, Kentucky, at age twelve, I moved with my family to a small town at the foot of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee—a place called Cowan.
I have very early queer memories: the boys who played basketball shirtless in the lot across from our house; the locker room at the municipal pool—an echoing paradise of men and boys, whistling and yelling, well haired out with deliciously turned parts swinging freely.
Why am I gay?
I grew up during the ’70s and ’80s on a farm in rural North Dakota to loving, committed heterosexual parents in a Lutheran based home. I am the youngest of nine. I witnessed my siblings dating and marrying into heterosexual relationships. I grew up around the heterosexual relationships of my aunts [...]
I went to a Catholic high school. For four, very long years I was the only open homosexual.
I suffered more than I’ll ever let on.
One night I was cornered and beaten by several members of the football team. I went to the principal and he basically told me it was my fault, I had [...]
Alan’s scornful ex-boyfriend outs him to his mother. Her response isn’t quite what the ex had in mind, though, turning into a blessing in disguise.
I was fifteen when I realized I was in love with my best friend.
I’d never had much interest in boys, but I tried to feign interest so I could feel included in the other girls’ slumber party chitchat. I’d never had a friend like this one, though. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but that wasn’t [...]
Brooks comes out to his mom who’s a therapist, which leads to some awkward, uncomfortable and possibly inappropriate questions. Watch his story:
I’m not out of the closet. Yet.
And I think this is because I’m not sure. I’m just not absolutely completely sure. But it started only a month ago. I am still in middle school (and it’s taking a lot of guts for me to write my town for the title) and I go to this [...]
I realized I was gay at a young age. I would always love for my best friend to stay over. The years passed and I would hear that being gay was wrong. I would hear it left and right so I would try and convince myself that I wasn’t. I would date girls but [...]
John W. McLaughlin struggled with crystal meth addiction and shared the low point of his life with us.
“One morning I woke up in some seedy hotel in downtown L.A. and I had no idea how I got there. I couldn’t move my legs and I didn’t know where I was. … I looked [...]
