Posts Tagged ‘support’

Stanley

Published by beckatz on September 2nd, 2009 - in Video Stories

Stanley’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Stanley grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, in Westchester County on the border of the Bronx. He came out in the 1970′s and says that the Stonewall riots in 1969 played an important role in how he came to discover his own. sexuality. Stanley, a precocious child, became sexually active at an early age yet didn’t reconcile the physical aspect of being gay with the emotional side until many years later. Stanley also discusses the relationship between the black and gay communities based on his experience growing up gay in an atmosphere heavily inspired by the church. He believes that young people today should look to their elders for support and guidance and that the history of the LGBTQ movement is important to pass on to younger generations.

Josh, 17

Published by beckatz on August 10th, 2009 - in Video Stories

Josh posted his coming out story on youtube in July of 2008. He’s 17 and currently lives in a small Alabama town with his mother. Josh came out to his mother in the summer of 2007 at age 16 and then and at school the following year. When he finally came out he felt so relieved to be able to be open with himself and everyone around him. For Josh, school has been a roller coaster ride due to homophobic harassment in the form of verbal abuse. Josh is a senior this year and plans to attend college and major in art studio and minor in film. His goal is to use his art and any form of expression to expose people to his life and things so integral to his being such as sexuality. Josh says, “Life is beautiful and we should celebrate its diversity.” Josh is wise beyond his years and very brave. Please listen to his wonderful story.

Fernando, 18

Published by beckatz on July 29th, 2009 - in Video Stories

This is Fernando Menjiva’s story about coming out to his parents. He posted this video on youtube on his 18th birthday on June 15, 2009. Though his family supports him, coming out to them was not easy. As the oldest son, he was expected to “protect” his sister. Also, because Fernando’s parents are divorced, he had to tell them separately. As a child, his father called him “Champion,” but his sister couldn’t pronounce the word and called him “Chappis” instead, which has been his nickname ever since. He has been video-blogging for four years and feels he has improved quite a bit over time. Please watch Fernando’s story. It is truly beautiful. His strength and courage are evident in his remarkable ability to be open about his sexuality at such a young age.

Oliver

Published by beckatz on July 18th, 2009 - in Video Stories

Oliver’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Oliver grew up in the small college town of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. When he was coming out in the 1960s, he faced several hardships including constant bullying by his classmates in school and the hush-hush gay underground community where meetings were secret and often sexually motivated. Because the concept of being gay was so taboo, Oliver contemplated suicide as a way to end the nightmarish situation of being “the class queer” without a gay support network. However, when Oliver moved to New York City at age 23 in 1976 (7 years after the Stonewall riots), he found a thriving and vibrant gay community that was both political and outspoken and one where he fit in perfectly. Oliver currently lives with his partner, Stanley, in Queens and has participated in gay mentoring groups, which he believes, when organized correctly, can be an incredible resource for LGBTQ youth.

Liza and Deb, Part 1

Published by beckatz on June 4th, 2009 - in Couple Stories, Video Stories

Liza and Deb’s Coming Out Stories from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Deb and Liza live together in Cambridge, MA, and are the proud parents of George and Bryn–a German Shepherd and Puerto Rican street dog. They met in 2007 and are planning their wedding for January 2010. Deb, of Chinese and Italian descent, struggled for years with her sexuality and finally came out after college with the help of her co-worker. Her twin brother, Rob, is also gay and their family supports them, though her mother once thought that “Chinese people couldn’t be gay.” Liza also had a difficult time coming to terms with her sexuality. She grew up in New Hampshire where she says there were no out gay people, which made it difficult to be aware that alternate sexualities existed. After graduate school and a lot of soul searching, Liza’s friend advised her to date women, and Deb was the first woman Liza brought home. Needless to say, they have found much support from their families and friends who will all be attending their winter wedding!

Stay tuned to hear Deb and Liza’s proposal story!

Jeff, 23

Published by beckatz on May 28th, 2009 - in Video Stories

Jeff’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Jeff is originally from Miami, Florida, and is the youngest of 7 children. Five of his older siblings were born in Haiti, which Jeff describes as a very religious and conservative country. Being gay, he says, is unspeakable in Haiti and people are expected to adhere to their specific gender roles. However, Jeff’s mother and siblings have been incredibly supportive, loving, and accepting from the moment he came out. Jeff graduated from Boston College in 2008 and though he believes that some aspects of the school are closed-minded, he found his niche in the theater and English programs.

Casey

Published by beckatz on May 8th, 2009 - in Video Stories

Casey’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Casey, a Harvard graduate, now lives in New York City. She came out when she was 14 to her sister at a Grateful Dead concert and then to her parents at age 16. Her first girlfriend was her sister’s best friend. Casey has always been supported by her family, though she urges young people to be patient with their parents as they come to terms with having a gay son or daughter.

Kristen, 24

Published by beckatz on May 6th, 2009 - in Video Stories

Kristen’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Kristen is originally from Denver, Colorado. She began questioning her sexuality when she was a teenager and found support from her friends, family, and local LGBT organizations such as PFLAG. She founded the Gay-Straight Alliance at her high school and came out to her entire school as a way to make the group known on campus. She earned a college scholarship for her work and courage and continued to be a part of LGBT organizations during and after college. She now lives in New York City.

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