Cleveland Pride

Rachel is a 20 y/o female, partnered, sharing two stories: (1) reconciling with my religion, and (2) coming out experience in high school.

Reconciling with my religion:

As a catholic, I used to hear all the time how “homosexuality is a sin”. When I finally realized that I was gay, I remember the fear I had when I realized I was going to go for what I wanted and stop living a lie. It was very difficult of course considering I was about 16. There were a few times I would be in church and start crying because I did not feel that I belonged there even after 8 years of Catholic School. So my dad decided that I should talk to one of the reverends who I had known my whole life. We sat down all together and I told him what I had been going through and he just looked at me and said to me, “this is where you belong, whether you are gay or straight, you are God’s child.” I then asked about why in the bible it would say such a thing, and he told me that the bible is up for interpretation, and even now there was research being done that you are born gay you don’t choose to be that way. At that moment a HUGE weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I knew from then on that God loves me no matter who I am, he made me in his image and I should be proud of that.

Coming out experience in high school:

I consider myself one of the lucky ones, I played basketball for my high school and many of the girls on my team were gay. The straight girls were the minority for a long time. Once I figured out I was gay, I told a few people which was probably not the best idea because no one can keep a secret. haha. So one of the girls on my team (who i was always in competition with, and never got along with) decided to tell everyone in the school, at that point I was not ready at all to deal with this so I saw my only way out, and that was to punch her. Looking back definitely wasn’t the best solution (but I’d do it again..shh =]) then on I never really had problems. Until my Junior year came along and one of my friends who was also gay committed suicide. We had a memorial for her ourselves since the parents would not have a public wake. At the memorial in front of most of my class I stood at a podium and said a few words. “We all know the kinda person Meredith was, always happy and never really cared what others thought, and she has taught me to never be afraid….I am gay, most of you don’t know that..but like I said Mere taught me to never be afraid, to be myself no matter what the consequences are”..I silently left the podium and sat down in my seat and buried my hands in my face and cried. The reaction of the people around me, who i knew and who I had never seen in my life was amazing. My friends came up to me crying telling me how proud they were of me. Random people also, this lady came up to me hugged and kissed me on the cheek and told me I really honored Meredith. Yes I was sooo scared, but when things ever got hard I always remember those words..”..Don’t be afraid..”

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