MADDY - 18
Having protective parents sucks sometimes. Especially when one of their biggest rules is "always let us know where you'll be going and what you'll be doing". There are some things you just can't tell your parents about. Like the fact that the underage events you've been going to are for queer youth, or that the big event you're trying to ask permission to go to tomorrow is actually the Pride March.
Mum wasn't fooled by my vague "it's some kind of big gathering" explanation. She wanted details. And I'm still not sure how I found the courage, but I finally stumbled over the words "It's the Pride March." She didn't even look surprised. "Oh, is that tomorrow? Can I have a look at the website?" As I pulled up the site to show her the details, I thought I should make sure she knew what I was really saying.
"Mum? You know that means I'm..."
"Yes. I know." She'd found what she was looking for, and closed the page.
"I have a rainbow head scarf you can borrow if you like."
And that was it.
CHANTELLE - 17
A fairy tale is a story that may feature characters like fairies, elves, goblins, trolls and a far-fetched sequence of events. Coming out for me was a bit like a fairy tale because there were trolls and goblins that gave me a bit of a difficult time and several far-fetched events that took place. But in the end it all worked out to be fine, I met better people who are like the friendly and caring fairies and elves just like in a fairy tale :)
MICAH - 20
Sitting in the school library in year 11 for a study period was a pretty normal Monday morning for me. My friends and I would grab the paper, do the super quiz and talk about our weekends. I went to an all boys school, so my friends were talking about this one particular girl they met on the weekend who was, as they described, "super hot". After talking about her for a good 10 minutes, they turned to me and asked what I thought of her. Thinking for a second, I turned back and said "Uh...Well actually, I totally prefer her friend. He was really hot". My mates rolled their eyes at me saying "About time you mentioned something about liking guys - we were beginning to think you didn't know!"
CLAUDIA - 19
"When I was around sixteen I arrived at the point where I wanted the people I love to know another part of me. It wasn't that I felt a huge need to explain that I was gay, but I hated hiding. I tried different ways. To test the waters with my best friend I told her about another one of our friends, but I said "I have something to tell you, please don't freak out, it changes nothing.. but so-and-so is gay." When she didn't freak out I decided it was okay to tell her about me, and she said she knew and she loved me.
The next friend I told as sort of a joke, she didn't say anything and I thought she'd never speak to me again, but a few days later at school she came up to me and gave me a picture of Angelina Jolie from the Mr & Mrs Smith promos. She had cut out Brad Pitt for our other friend. I knew she was fine with it then. When I told my dad I was terrified, and said it straight out: "You know Ec? She's my girlfriend." He didn't think it was a big deal at all, but he jokingly asked if I could fix the car!"
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