How I Was Raised

Aug 03rd, 2011 06:49 PM By Robin

The generations in my family are more spread out than most others, because the women in my family tend to have children later in life. My mother used to tell me stories about what segregation was like when she was little. My grandparents were both raised to hate certain types of people – Blacks, Jews, Catholics, Japanese. That was the way it was. But even though they attempted to teach my mother these same prejudices, it didn’t take.

So, when she raised me and my older brother, she taught us to never hate anyone because they were different. It is her teachings that helped me become who I am today. I am in college now and am the vice president of my local school’s Gay Straight Alliance. I don’t believe that anyone should be denied life or liberty simply for being who they are. I don’t think anyone has the right to tell someone they can’t marry or have children. This is what my mother taught me. This is how I will teach my children. I hope other families will do the same with their children. This is why I give a damn.

Unaccepted

Aug 03rd, 2011 06:37 PM By Cristiana

I’m 15, almost 16 and I’ve been somewhat-openly bi for a few months now, only a few of my friends know, but that is because my school is all-girls and Catholic, that last three girls who have just been rumored to be lesbian at my school have had to leave because of the bullying. Just last month I came out to my mom and dad. They didn’t believe me. It’s not right for a parent to ignore their child. Every time I say something like, “oh that chick is really pretty” my parents yell at me. A parent should accept their child for who they are. Because of my parents, I used to think about suicide, but because my friends accepted me, I knew that at least a few people accepted me, a lot of them joke around with me about it a lot to. But it still isn’t right that my own parents don’t accept me when my friends do. That is why I give a damn.

K-8

Aug 03rd, 2011 06:29 PM By Collin

Well, I am currently in eighth grade. And I have known since third grade I was gay. I knew because when I looked at guys I got that feeling in my stomach. I was always friends with the girls, and never really had any guy friends.

Starting in fourth grade people started noticing I was different. They didn’t say anything to me yet, but I heard that people were saying things about me. I didn’t really hear anything else until sixth grade. Then people started to just say things to my face like “Fag” or “Gay freak”. It affected me, but I mainly ignored it. And it has only gotten worse since then.

This year I came out. And all of my guy friends stopped talking to me. Even my cousin and best friend. I just didn’t know what to think. My remaining friends told me to just forget them, but I can’t just forget my cousin. And when I came out, the words and bullying erupted. Now people (and even my old friends) got creative with their names. I am not even going to put them they are that bad. And people would shove me in the hallways, knock my books from my hands, and try to corner me in the locker bays.

It got so bad I went to the guidance counselor. But all she could do was talk to them. Even though we have a “No Tolerance Policy”. So it continued, and I learned to live with it. I am able to because I have amazing friends that stick by me no matter what. They will get in any amount of trouble just to defend me.

Now middle school is ending, and I know that the taunting will only get worse. But I have some of the most amazing friends in the world and The Most Amazing Boyfriend EVER to back me up. I am actually kind of looking forward to high school. It will be tough, but I know I will make it through it. I know because I give a damn.

No One To Turn To

Aug 03rd, 2011 06:09 PM By Bobbi

My name is Bobbi and I’m a bisexual girl. Recently, I realized my sexuality, but didn’t think much of it due to my family always saying that I’ll be accepted for who I am. Despite this, I was turned away by most of my family.

I’ve always put a lot of trust in my friends, so I thought they’d be more supportive and easier to tell. Even though all my friends are religious and didn’t seem to care, when I told them I’m agnostic, almost all of them practically panicked when I came out.

For weeks afterward, many of my friends told me that I was going too far and needed to accept God and realize the way things should really be. I felt despised by the people I cared most about.

To add insult to injury, people I didn’t even know began to look at me like I wasn’t human. One day a girl came up to me and asked if I was really “that”. Apparently one of the people I’d trusted was randomly telling people about my sexuality to have them keep me in their prayers.

Now I’m always looked at like an alien and called names. Someone even wrote my number on a bench and called me a “homo-loving dyke”. Several random numbers called and texted me calling me terrible things. I tried to tell a teacher I trusted but she told me to deal with it and as I walked away I heard her say “The gay ones always complain”.

I’m not really close to anyone now and those I do talk to tend to try to keep me away. I hope that these things won’t continue to happen to people like me, but until we all give a damn, we’ve still got a long way to go.

School

Aug 03rd, 2011 06:05 PM By Shannon

When I was in high school, I was out. I didn’t care who knew, I didn’t care who had problems with it. I was happy, and it was going to stay that way. I openly dated girls in high school. Even some from my school. People would see us together, some would give dirty looks, others were happy that I was happy.

More into the middle of my junior year it started getting physical. I went to the soda machine one morning before class to get a soda. A group of guys, football players, pressed me up against the machine yelling and screaming why don’t you like boys. I told them plain and simple I don’t, I never have, and I never will. One of the guys pushed me harder and forced me to kiss him. As they started to walk away he said, well that wasn’t that bad was it. Then two of them kicked me till I collapsed and repeated to do so until a teacher stopped them.

Even then it didn’t go to the office. The teacher didn’t want to start an issue because he didn’t have tenure and didn’t want to lose his job.

After that happened I fought for the rest of my high school career for a Gay Straight Alliance group. Finally my senior year they passed it. After graduation it was in effect and I was able to come back to lead the group.

I guess, with one bad problem, good comes along with it. The group is still in effect and it turned into a safe place for kids to run to with their problems.

Not Caring

Aug 03rd, 2011 02:10 PM By Makalia

I’ve seen people getting bullied cause of who they are. I feel like some people don’t know what there going through. I have a friend who is gay and I feel like he is getting pushed away from the crowd, but I stay there for him.

He was going to commit suicide, but I stopped him. I saved my best friend’s life. He followed his dreams and became a singer. He meet Lady Gaga, I was so proud of him. I love you Eli………

Stay Strong

Aug 03rd, 2011 02:03 PM By Ally

All of my life, there’s been discrimination around me towards people for their sexual orientation. I myself am not a lesbian, transgender person, or bisexual. I am straight. This doesn’t mean that I’m like everyone else, though. Just because I’ve grown up with sexist, judgmental people, doesn’t mean that I’m like them.

I believe that everyone is equal. No one is better than anyone else. So this story is for everyone that’s struggled with being judged for who they are. I fully support you. You are what makes this world unique. Without you, there would be no Damn movement. By being you and not being ashamed of who you are, you make people struggling with the same issue of hatred feel like they’re not alone.

So cheers to you. I’m here for you, and I Give A Damn.

I’m Me… Now Go Do You

Aug 03rd, 2011 01:51 PM By Gabriel

Hey people, my name is Gabriel. I am straight, but I’m open minded to people. Since 4th grade, I’ve been called gay just because I’m very energetic, always positive, happy, fun, etc.

I really hate it when people talk crap about who you are. I personally think people should mind their own business and worry about themselves. When I get haters, I say “GO DO YOU AND I’LL DO ME, DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT I DO!!”

Personally I LOVE people that are gay, bi, lesbian, etc. because they have this diva attitude like “I’m here B—-!!” I love that about them. I love what Cyndi Lauper is doing and I love what Gaga did for the soldiers that were discharged.

Anyways, to all you people that feel disrespected because of your sexuality… I GIVE A DAMN!!

I Almost Left This Earth

Aug 03rd, 2011 01:44 PM By Sean

It was my freshman year in high school when I decided to come out of the “closet”.

It all started when I came home from school enraged. My mother asked me what was wrong. While standing in the kitchen, making my all time favorite sandwich in the whole wide world I told my mother about my day.

“I was in Law and Justice today and those damn rednecks kept coughing the word ‘fag.’ They have been tripping me when I walk down the hall and constantly throwing papers at me that say ‘die faggot’ on the inside.”

My mother didn’t say anything at first. She sat at the table rummaging through her purse and then she looked up at me and said, “Well are you gay?”

I tried to avoid the question but, my mind took over my mouth and I quickly blurted out, “Yes”.

For days my mother didn’t speak to me. I felt alone and I had a lot of anger. Here I was dealing with the crap at school and then a mother at home that doesn’t even acknowledge you exist. A few days went by and I decided I should just get it over with and come out to my friends and peers at school.
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Kind of What I Went Through

Aug 03rd, 2011 01:37 PM By cory`

Hi, my name is Cory, I am openly gay. I live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Which makes it very hard to come out and tell people that you are gay. I first realized that I was gay when I was maybe 12 or 13. At that time I didn’t really know what it was. I was raised in a home with a mother and a father, a sister who always had a boyfriend. So, I just thought that I had to like girls, and that liking guys was just not a choice.

I just got on with my life trying to date girls, and I just was never that into it. Around when I was 15, I was more aware of what gay meant and everything that went with it. So by then I had realized that I was truly gay, there was no getting around that. I have always wanted to have kids of my own one day and have a nice family just like my sister has. That was one of the biggest problems I had about me being gay. So, before I could tell anyone I had to accept that I might never have kids or a true family of my own.

Also, another thing was my dad. He and my mom are not together anymore (thank goodness), he would never hit us or anything like that, he was just abusive by what he would say to me and my mom. After me and my mom moved out things cooled down between all of us. But, he still wanted me to be his SON, the boy he could take with him to go hunting and fishing, but I was just never that son that he wanted.
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