Hope is Coming…

Aug 01st, 2011 05:36 PM By Nickalous

My story began the day of high school graduation, the proudest moment to a child, but that was the worst day in my life. That is when my parents couldn’t handle the fact that they have a gay son and in due time left me on the streets with nothing but my work clothes and a busted down car. I lived in my car for 2 weeks, till luckily I had a friend whose family was kind enough to take me.

That turned out bad because as I started college and moved into the dorms I developed depression from issues I couldn’t bare to deal with. So I started to drink heavily, smoke and do other drugs. It was an all day and everyday thing for me. It killed the pain. From then my life started to spiral out of control, for the fact that I just didn’t care anymore.

I then moved onto an abusive relationship and was put through even more suffering. This effect lead to some serious attempts to take my life. I tried to drink everything I remembered away until the day my best friend punched me square in the face and I woke up and realized I needed help.

That’s what my best friend gave me – hope and help and support. Now, I write you as a proud gay youth in college and working, clean and sober. I write my story to give hope for those youth struggling and in need of hope… I know the one thing I wanted most was someone to be there and care.

I Give A Damn

Aug 01st, 2011 05:23 PM By Tanayshia

My name is Tanayshia and I give a damn. My whole life has been a struggle and being bisexual didn’t make things any better. Both my parents decided to abandon me and gave up their rights as parents. I was in and out of many foster homes and they all seemed to hate homosexuals, I was therefore forced to remain in the closet.

Being in the closet was hard for me because I was only 12 and I didn’t really understand what was going on with me. When I turned 15 I met an older female who was 18 (Danielle). She helped me cope with being attracted to girls and also helped me become more comfortable with who I am. I decided to tell my foster parent that I was attracted to females. BIG MISTAKE! She treated me like trash, told me I was the devil, that I was going to hell, that I was disgusting and that I needed to be ashamed.

I didn’t understand because I didn’t choose to like females it was just how I am. My foster mom eventually banned my communication from Danielle and I no longer had anyone to accept me and also help me accept myself. I went into a deep depression. I gave up on everything, I gave up on the belief of god, I gave up on life and eventually I took 2 bottles of pills.

God was not done with me because I lived, I woke up the next morning unharmed and stronger than ever. A few weeks later I was adopted by my foster mother and that same day I was kicked out. I was a 15 year old, homeless, bisexual girl with no family. For 3 years I house hopped, stayed with different friends every night. A lady that used to date my father a long time ago decided to take me in when I was 18, she paid my high school dues, paid my college application fees, bought a lot of things for college, and supplied me with money.

I’m now 20 years old in college and everyday I deal with people’s ignorance about the homosexual community. I’ve came a long way because someone gave a damn. I give a damn and I hope I can help someone who needs it like I did.

Great Girl, Bad Mother

Aug 01st, 2011 05:17 PM By Nikki

I once worked in a place that was somewhat okay with lesbians and gays, but one person in particular was very against it. She wanted nothing to do with “those people” as she would say. I am open to everything in life and what it has to offer. I am just fine if people are in love – no matter what race, color, or sexual orientation they are.

When she found out her oldest was “bi” she flipped! I felt so bad for her daughter because this woman was a terror to work with. The girl’s mother kicked her out of the house, then let her back in, then sent her off to a private school for “special needs” (that is sort of how she put it) and more. I felt so bad for her daughter that one day after she made a comment she was going to let the state take her I piped up and said please let her stay with me.

The other thing that really got to me about this woman is she let her two youngest beat on their older sister and call her all kinds of names. I was more than willing to give this girl the love and attention she needed to be able to survive in this world. The girl’s mother said no, you have no idea what you would be doing to your family. I no longer work for this company after something personal happened to me the same woman made an aweful comment about. I just couldn’t take her crap anymore!

So, I put in my 6 week notice and they let me go that day. Didn’t tell me why, just sent me my check in the mail. Now I wish I would have gone to this woman’s house that day to tell her daughter she was more than welcome to come live with us. I still think about this young girl and hope and pray that she is ok and now out of that horrible house!

I just can’t believe that flesh and blood would treat their own in this way.

Hate

Aug 01st, 2011 04:31 PM By tea corson

There is a kid in a school, she was gay but people did not know. When people found out they started to call her “fag” and tell her that she was going to hell. She had nowhere to go. Her family did not like her being gay, so they kicked her out. She thought she was alone and no one cared. But she later found out that in the school there were others like her.

She became strong and she got through school. She was still bullied, but she knew that people care and not all people hate. She is going to go and live in Miami with her grandparents and try to make the best of things.

Now, I am one of her closest friends and people love her for who she is. She knows that even-though her parents are not there people care.

I Give a Damn

Dec 29th, 2010 08:02 PM By Charles

My name is Charles but go by CJ. I was born in Florida, but grew up everywhere else. I am the product of a mother who is dependent on men (although loved us in her own way) and an alcoholic father who took his life in 2007. With parents like this I had every insecurity there was for a kid. I have had eating disorders my whole life (which are better) and it was horrible for me growing up gay. I am the only gay person in my family and had no one to turn to for comfort or information on what I was dealing with.

The biggest issue for me was why I was gay and what exactly it meant to be gay. At 16 I had to overcome being homeless. Luckily I had a friend whose family was kind enough to take me. That turned out bad because as I turned 21 I developed depression from issues I couldn’t bare to deal with. So I started to drink heavily. It was an all day and everyday thing for me. It killed the pain. From then my life started to spiral out of control, for the fact that I just didn’t care anymore. I didn’t want to be gay, I didn’t want to live and desperately wanted to be what was considered to normal.

This effect lead to some serious attempts to take my life. For 4 yrs I tried to drink so bad in hopes that I wouldn’t wake up. Long story short, I am 27 and have been with a great guy for 2 yrs. Even though it does get easier for LGBT persons, without help, resources, or a place or should to turn to it can never get better for someone. I was a lucky gay kid who by chance made it to where I am ALIVE. For as long as I can remember the only person who cared about me was ME. In the back of my mind I always remembered that.

Plus I figured the suicides attempts never worked because GOD didn’t want another of his children to die. I am writing this (short lol) to let anyone who is going through some of these issues that I had to go through know that AS LONG AS THERE IS A BREATH IN MY BODY I WILL ALWAYS GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEM!!!!

8th Grade Horror

Dec 17th, 2010 10:07 AM By Casandra

When I was in the 8th grade my teacher decided it would be best for me to tell everyone including my mother. I went to school with the same people since 2nd grade; most turned there backs on me. My mother wanted to kick me out of the house and did not speak to me for weeks; it took my sister to explain how close I was to leaving – the world – not the house. I felt alone and had to see that teacher everyday.

A football player’s girl friend broke up with him and came out because I was now out. He thought I was the cause of it and brought several other players to where I lived. They beat me very badly, when I finally made it into my house I had lost a lot of blood and was scared. After a week of recovery I went back to school. Those same boys were there and threatened me daily. This went on until the 10th grade.

It wasn’t until a teacher came out to me that I realized that it was okay to be who I was and never to be ashamed of it. In the 11th grade I found out that my hell became a story that helped other kids come out to their friends and family. I am now 25, and I still help kids come out and share with their families and friends. My personal hell became my favorite memory; for the simple fact that it has helped others, and has helped me become a better person.

Category: All of Them

Dec 09th, 2010 10:55 AM By kelly

My story is like no other, but I hope I can help other people see people for who they are not who they love. My mother is bisexual, she is also Christian and loving and works really hard. She raised 4 daughters by herself and has dealt with social, professional, and religious intolerance for her choice in being open about who she is.

She gave my little sister the strength to never live in the closet about being gay and never let us live in fear of the world for any reason. I to am bisexual and my 3 children are adopted to a married gay couple. A few years ago I traveled the states and I spent a lot of time with at risk teenagers and saw first hand what not being who you know you are can do to you.

Most of them were homeless or closeted. They were shunned and bullied and hooked to drugs and abused. Some took their lives and every one that’s left I still talk to and try to help.

I give a damn because I don’t want to lose any more children to hate and I don’t want anyone to be able to tell my sister that its wrong for her to love and be loved in return. We need to take a stand, this has been allowed for far to long. This is the last kind of open discrimination that is widely excepted and that is not right.

My Old Shame

Dec 01st, 2010 10:03 PM By Justin

My story starts out as a family of 5 living in a small town called Hymera, Indiana and as a small community people grew up with a hatred of differences and altogether disgust at those who stuck out. I was an emotional child that grew up in fear of a father that tried to correct me so I was in his image and suffered abuse often. I suffered terrible brutality from my father and was often threatened that if I were to become gay at age 7 that I would be killed and buried in the backyard. At seven years old, it was very traumatic to me and later on in life I become aware of what it actually meant to be gay and realized I was different.

Suffering a breakdown and bell’s palsy syndrome, my face was paralyzed on one side because of my secret and the panic it instilled in my daily life. I finally at age 17 wrote a note telling my family that I was gay after some kids at school outed me and basically cornered me and continually harassed me, including a majority of the school staff. I was kicked out of my home and moved to a city nearby with no where to go. I worked two jobs, finally got my own place and tried to get myself together. I eventually moved back home with the promise things would be different, I found out otherwise.
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LifeTies – Triad House

Dec 01st, 2010 06:08 PM By Norah

Hi, I’m a 39 year old lesbian that has one of the most important jobs in the world. I raise money to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered kids who are at risk of becoming homeless.

The name of our organization is LifeTies and we’re in Trenton NJ. Our group home, Triad House, provides a home and lots of love and support to GLBT kids who come from troubled households and who face potential homelessness. Triad House also welcomes kids who are GLBT friendly. Our kids can be “out” and not worry about the fear of rejection due to their sexual orientation. The youth in Triad House come from very difficult life circumstances such as extreme poverty, abuse and neglect. In Triad House, they receive specialized counseling and support to help them grow and thrive. Despite their challenging backgrounds, our kids are just like every other kid. They need guidance and support to find their path through life. Our kids grow up, move on and become truly fantastic adults who definitely Give a Damn! Triad House is a remarkable and wonderful safe-space for GLBT kids.

I am so happy to be working to help GLBT kids. By helping them, I feel like I’m helping all GLBT kids because we’re raising awareness and helping to change hearts and minds –one child at a time.

Thanks for letting me share about Triad House.

Norah

Give a Home

Nov 30th, 2010 06:53 PM By Jessica

My wife and I just became certified foster parents today. While we would love to raise an infant as our own, that desire is not what prompted us to take on this challenging and ultimately rewarding role. We first became interested in making sure that at least a few gay teens would have a loving and accepting home and family to call their own. We even made sure that “LGBTQ teen” was listed in our preferences for placements.