Charity

Here is a brief explanation of my coming out story. It was in my senior year of high school, and I pretty much knew I was different from the other boys for many years. I attempted to be “normal” but found myself staring at the males not the females, especially in the locker room 🙂 ?My fantasies were always of a male with another male, thus I needed to come to terms with this part of myself. ?No, it was not a choice. ?It is part of my genetics. ?I do not choose to be homosexual any more than you choose to be heterosexual. ?It is part of your genetics. ?It has been suggested for some time that societal factors and other behavioral and/or sociological factors can influence a person’s sexuality. ?I do not agree with that theory. ?Again, it is not a choice. ?Anyhow, I decided it was time to admit to my truth and then to tell my family. I luckily did not have lots of drama concerning this since my parents are very liberal and supportive. I was teased plenty at school but it was mild compared to most kids. ?I hear stories from Trevor Project about some terrible things happening to kids even today. ?I try to help inform everyone I meet so this cycle can end. ?It really breaks my heart when I read yet another news story about a gay youth that has committed suicide and ended their life merely because they felt different. ?The last story was about a boy named Jamey Rodemeyer in Buffalo NY. ?He even made an “It Gets Better” video. ?Very sad indeed.

I had my first gay experience at 11 years old, and questioned it for several years as I completed those final steps of puberty and beyond. ?I fortunately have not had any issues with my sexuality since the age of 18, and thus I am grateful for support from friends and family. ?I also try to devote half of my time to charitable causes involving GLBT activism , and as most know, I am part of ?the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of GLBT persons that raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and try to better our community through fundraising events and entertainment. ?We also try to reduce self-harmful behaviors such as substance abuse via awareness of self and community. ?Personally I have trouble understanding addictive behaviors since I think substance abuse and manipulation of a person’s body and soul are bad ideas. ?But as several before me would say “You cannot help a person that is in need of that help until they are ready and ask for that help”. ?Truer words have never been spoken. ?Blessings from Ganesha upon all of you.