by Beyond Bullying Project
BBP Stories: He Loved His Self
West High School
12th grade
18, African American, straight, girl
When I was in middle school, I had a friend and he was my best friend. It was like I knew he was gay and he knew he was gay, but everybody else knew, too. But he had this whole fear if he should hide it or he should show it.
He was just the sweetest person. He was so generous that everybody took him for a joke. Everybody took him for a mistake. Until he proved everybody wrong. You don’t have to make yourself feel like you’re unwanted or feel bad because of who you are.
And he really, he loved his self. He loved everything about it. He loved feeling gay. He loved everything. And I accepted him in every way. He told me everything. I told him everything.
And now I see him today, he’s the most beautifulest girl you could ever imagine. He dresses like a girl. Wear hair like a girl. Does everything like a girl. You would even mistake him for a girl. So you can’t judge what’s on the outside if you don’t know what’s on the inside. I loved him for him. And he was my best friend. He was a great person. And nobody could take that away from him.
by Beyond Bullying Project
BBP STORIES: Frowned upon
For some reason, it’s easier for me to handle the fact that they’re two girls next to me than two guys, like two couples, because for me, when I see a man, I think of, you know, the strong man protecting his family, the wife, the kid, you know, all that. The athlete. And when I see two, two gay couples, they’re kissing and especially when like they’re really buff, too. Like two macho mans, it’s kind of like it’s a weird look.
You know? And you’re not–. I know you’re not supposed to care about appearance, but, you know, it’s, it’s in front of you. You see it. You can’t help but think and wonder. But it’s just a weird thing. But I have, I have a lot of gay friends, especially men, who have–. I’ve seen them kiss a boy and it doesn’t, it doesn’t bother me because it’s just a kiss. That wouldn’t necessarily bother me. But when their arms are next to each other, I’m just like: Wow.
I mean, I’m not–. I wouldn’t say I’m homophobic. But I would say it kind of like–. It’s just a little weird. It’s a weird feeling when I look at them because–. And I feel bad for saying this because if I were to see two girls kissing, I’d be like: Oh. OK. Like that’s normal because it’s just, it’s just two girls. Like it’s–. Like a lot of straight guys think two girls kissing is hot, is hot. And two guys it’s frowned upon.
