There is too much silence in our community. There is a silence on the issue of being gay or lesbian, that is occasionally being interrupted by less than informed lectures and discussions on the topic. While the subject of coming out is very sensitive for various reasons of safety, family, and survival, this is our chance to fill the silence with a dose of truth and reality.
Unfortunately, we've practiced for years how to be someone else, that sometimes we don't even know who we are, but when we break the silence, and tell our stories, we practice finding ourselves again. If you have a story to share, you will be helping all the people out there who are looking in silence for someone to relate to, and you will be among those who are raising their voices in solidarity with them.
- Coming Out: (or inability to)
- Relationships: The good, bad, and ugly
- Thoughts on Spirituality
- Anything else!
Any personal testimony submitted will be under the strictest confidence and discretion to the degree of comfort by the author. Now's the time to speak. Email me, contact info on the right -->
Let's let our voices be heard.
Let's let our voices be heard.
I personally am neither gay nor Coptic, but one of my best friends came out about a year ago. His internal struggle must have been great. I'd known him for about 14 years and that whole time he proclaimed himself to be a straight Christian. Over that time, he wrestled with the church's logic in many forms. Being Atheist myself, I simply (paraphrasingly) said "I told you man, it doesn't make sense." He claimed chastity was his thing until he would get married someday. I couldn't fathom the idea how a person could be so strict and not know the beauty and pleasure of being intimate with another person.
ReplyDeleteSo it was quite a relief (for me as well), more than anything else, when he finally came out. He told me he was really down in a dark place for a long time, confused, trying to fit in, trying to be what his church and community put into his head. I can't imagine what he felt as he led a life as the complete opposite of what he was inside.
Regardless, he's still one of my best friends. And he still has tiny battles with that side of his life and that part of the community that he lost when he decided that his honest self had to shine through. But at least now we can joke and talk about sex and religion openly and he can finally share what's really on his mind, what his life is like, and for that I'd want it no other way.
I'm proud of him and I'm glad he found the courage to be himself to everyone. It wasn't an easy decision for him, so I commend him with all my heart. - twp
twp,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Is your friend Coptic? I'm pretty sure he won't be the first or the last, as this is a common story. He's lucky to have a supportive friend like you as friends like that end up becoming our family our church and our community. Thanks for reading!