It’s Time

Over the past 24 hours Al, another gay friend of mine, and a blog reader have suggested that I post this video about ending marriage discrimination. An Australian equal rights group made this very well done video that you all should take a look at. Personally, this made my eyes water it gives me such hope.

In other news, I have officially submitted my applications for college! Although I have a supplement for one or two I am completely finished with five schools. As promised, I said I would post my main essay that I’ve been working on for so long so here it is:

Every person in the world encounters obstacles throughout their life. These problems shape what type of young adult they will be. I spent countless moments struggling with a problem of mine, hoping and praying it would go away.

My problem was internal; no one needed to know it. My problem seemed to set me apart from the rest of the world. It made me alone. I felt that neither society nor I could accept this problem. At least that’s what I thought.

For the better part of high school I did all I could to hide it. To some people, I am a lesser person because of it. It killed me on the inside, so I did all I could to be perceived as normal.

This past summer changed the way I perceived things and everything having to do with my problem changed.  I was tired of being something I wasn’t, and a lot of what I experienced this summer showed me that it was okay to stop hiding the true me. My church taught me that I am an image of God and I was brought to this earth for a purpose. At a Ke$ha concert I went to, she preached self acceptance. And the TV show Glee asserted that I should care less about what people think and focus on making myself happy. Towards the end of my summer all of these messages finally clicked with me. I resolved to take action.

Late this summer, I decided to reveal my secret to my closest friend. Half expecting her to already know my secret, I told her in my car on the way to a concert. Immediately following my confession, she told me how proud she was of me and that she accepted and loved me just as much as she did before I told her. The world didn’t end; I actually felt better letting her know. At that moment I realized that I could have more than just self acceptance, the people closest to me could accept me as well. I began to tell more and more friends, and it was incredibly liberating because they all accepted the true me. I had a stable group of friends who supported me.

I eventually told my parents the life changing secret. Once again I received nothing but acceptance from my parents. I realized that some people take years to figure out who they are and come to terms with themselves. In my first seventeen years I have not only found myself I have found a new confidence that shows throughout my whole life. I am confident in my opinions, actions, and decisions due to my recent self discovery.

I have found out that I am gay. I accept my sexual orientation, and my self discovery has helped me to become the confident young adult I am today.