“In my opinion, I was a late bloomer when it comes to understanding myself and my sexuality. I was raised Catholic and we never had discussions about homosexuality, so I never heard that it was “wrong” or “bad” but I also never heard about ANYONE that was gay. It wasn’t really an option. In my mind, I would grow up, marry a man, have some kids, a dog, and live happily ever after. It wasn’t until I was 19 years old, after my freshman year of college, that I realized I was “different.” I met a girl who was just like me. I wanted to spend any free time I had with her, I always wanted to talk to her and be around her. I really had to look inside myself and try and understand why this relationship was different. Making this connection for myself was freeing. It was like a piece of myself that I had been missing was finally found.
Within months of my own self-discovery, I had the need to tell the most important people in my life. I couldn’t have been luckier when it comes to coming out. My mom thought that I was going to tell her I was pregnant, so when I told her I was gay, she was relieved. Both of my parents were very loving and supportive. They just didn’t want life to be harder for me (which is inevitable).
I spent several more months slowly coming out to my friends and family, but the craziest thing is, I am still coming out all the time. It’s a process and a journey that at times seems never ending. Almost every day I am reminded how I am seen as different. It can be as simple as filling out a form for a doctor’s appointment and not be able to write my partner’s name for my emergency contact without scratching out the word HUSBAND. I don’t have a husband, I have a wife. Or when people at the park innocently refer to or ask questions about my son’s dad. When my wife and I decided to get married in 2013, although Iowa City is a cute little town, it would have been nice to be able to marry right here in St. Louis, but at that time we couldn’t. Every day is something new, or some small reminder.
It is a journey, but I wouldn’t do it any differently if I was given a chance to.” -freshman counselor Anne Kraus

“My big sister and I were talking and I was telling her I had feelings for a guy like I had feelings for a girl and she asked me how I felt and stuff and she said she is the same way and she was pansexual so I just assumed, yeah I was pansexual also.” -freshman Colin Vandermude

“It was pretty tough to be honest, my parents didn’t like me being attracted to anyone other than guys. It was my dad who was the worst, yelling that he “didn’t raise a gay child” although I’m bisexual. My mom didn’t appreciate it, but was way more accepting than my father. My friends were completely supportive, along with my grandma and brothers, surprisingly.” -sophomore Jordan Sanders

“So I came out when I was in middle school to my mom first. That was kind of an interesting experience, having to come out both as gay and transgender. She just kind of got really really quiet for a while. She didn’t really talk to me but eventually we decided to talk it out and she ended up being pretty supportive of it.” – junior Damien Pruett

“I came out freshman year, I joined the varsity soccer team and I was in the car with my friend and we were all just having a very deep conversation and it got really emotional and finally I just came out and then I ended up telling my mom later that month and then the rest of my friends later that month and now I’ve come to accept who I am and love who I am as a person. -senior Noelle Francisco