Monday, October 11, 2004
National Coming Out Day...
Today is National Coming Out Day! So, those of you who are in the closet and if you feel ready and confident to declare your sexuality, then, by all means, COME OUT!
However, if you're still not sure or not quite confident, please go find the nearest flamboyant queen or mulleted dyke and get some tips and advice. I'm sure they'll be happy to share their coming out experiences.
People, in general, think that coming out is relatively easy. Maybe for the marginal few, but for the majority, it's stressful! Come out, ONLY when you're ready.
I think I'll share my coming out story:
In 1993, I graduated from high school (a private Christian school). That Fall, I was enrolled at a Bible college. To make that particular episode of my life short, I ended up withdrawing from that college before the first semester was over.
I decided at that point that I wasn't quite ready for college and wanted to work. So, I started working for Foley's, a division of the May's Company. (Foley's sister stores are Lord & Taylor, Filene's, Hecht's, Robinson & May, Strawbridge) It was supposed to be a seasonal job but I ended up working there for 7 years.
Anyways, rewind to 1993. My best friend, at the time, was Etna (who nows goes by the name of Liz...because Etna sounded elderly.) She was a junior when I graduated. 3 of her cousins had graduated from my school. So, it was like keeping up with the tradition that the kids graduated from the private school. However, she just couldn't wait to get out of there! She didn't think she'd survive one more year there. You see, she never was popular at school. However, I was. My friends were literally shocked that I went up to her and befriended her. They kept asking me if I was crazy or whatever and I was like...what's so wrong about being friends with her?
Anyways, after I left, she was really alone at school. My mother was still teaching at the school and Etna would retreat to my mother and just start up a conversation with her. However, she just couldn't take it, plus the pressure from her family. You know, teenager stuff.
So, she decided to drop out and moved to Oklahoma, for some vocational training (for hearies). I remember being pissed for making such a hasty decision but I eventually got over it.
Ok, fast forward to 1994. After a year, Etna decided to move back into town. We decided to meet, for the first time in a year, at a certain place. I would pick her up and we would go somewhere and hang out. I remember the car I was driving. It was a blue standard Yugo. Do you guys remember that car? Of all the cars I've had, the Yugo was the smallest I've ever owned. Dang! I miss that car!
Anyways, I remembered that I had picked her up. She got in the car and we just hugged and laughed. It was so good to see her once again. As we were driving, I told her that I had something to tell her. She said she had something to tell me as well. We were both like..."me first!" We were like..."no, me!" Since neither of us wanted to be second, we ended up coming out to each other at the same time. We were like..."what?" And then we started laughing. We were like...how weird that both of us came out to each other at the same time.
I had written a long story, just now about what happened to us since then but it got too long. So, I deleted it and just thought I'd make a summary. We became closer than before and did all kinds of things together. We partied, hung out and all that stuff that best friends do.
However, one day, she did something really awful and I ended the friendship.
About 4 or 5 years later, we bumped into each other at a mall, during summer break. She still considered me her best friend. However, I wasn't gonna just forget the whole thing and resume best friendship with her.
Yet, we did become friends and started talking again. This time, she had a girlfriend and was so in love with her. I got to meet her and she was really nice. It was awkward to see that Etna had transformed from a feminine lady to a DYKE. I mean...big time dyke!
We've since lost touch for like the past 3 or 4 years. I had just started dating KT and I remember telling Etna about him. I remember the last time I saw her. She was busy preparing a birthday party for her girlfriend. So, I told her that I'd come back since I didn't wanna hold her up.
Oh well. I do hope that she's happy wherever she is. We may not be friends anymore but I certainly can't forget her...with us coming out to each other.
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However, if you're still not sure or not quite confident, please go find the nearest flamboyant queen or mulleted dyke and get some tips and advice. I'm sure they'll be happy to share their coming out experiences.
People, in general, think that coming out is relatively easy. Maybe for the marginal few, but for the majority, it's stressful! Come out, ONLY when you're ready.
I think I'll share my coming out story:
In 1993, I graduated from high school (a private Christian school). That Fall, I was enrolled at a Bible college. To make that particular episode of my life short, I ended up withdrawing from that college before the first semester was over.
I decided at that point that I wasn't quite ready for college and wanted to work. So, I started working for Foley's, a division of the May's Company. (Foley's sister stores are Lord & Taylor, Filene's, Hecht's, Robinson & May, Strawbridge) It was supposed to be a seasonal job but I ended up working there for 7 years.
Anyways, rewind to 1993. My best friend, at the time, was Etna (who nows goes by the name of Liz...because Etna sounded elderly.) She was a junior when I graduated. 3 of her cousins had graduated from my school. So, it was like keeping up with the tradition that the kids graduated from the private school. However, she just couldn't wait to get out of there! She didn't think she'd survive one more year there. You see, she never was popular at school. However, I was. My friends were literally shocked that I went up to her and befriended her. They kept asking me if I was crazy or whatever and I was like...what's so wrong about being friends with her?
Anyways, after I left, she was really alone at school. My mother was still teaching at the school and Etna would retreat to my mother and just start up a conversation with her. However, she just couldn't take it, plus the pressure from her family. You know, teenager stuff.
So, she decided to drop out and moved to Oklahoma, for some vocational training (for hearies). I remember being pissed for making such a hasty decision but I eventually got over it.
Ok, fast forward to 1994. After a year, Etna decided to move back into town. We decided to meet, for the first time in a year, at a certain place. I would pick her up and we would go somewhere and hang out. I remember the car I was driving. It was a blue standard Yugo. Do you guys remember that car? Of all the cars I've had, the Yugo was the smallest I've ever owned. Dang! I miss that car!
Anyways, I remembered that I had picked her up. She got in the car and we just hugged and laughed. It was so good to see her once again. As we were driving, I told her that I had something to tell her. She said she had something to tell me as well. We were both like..."me first!" We were like..."no, me!" Since neither of us wanted to be second, we ended up coming out to each other at the same time. We were like..."what?" And then we started laughing. We were like...how weird that both of us came out to each other at the same time.
I had written a long story, just now about what happened to us since then but it got too long. So, I deleted it and just thought I'd make a summary. We became closer than before and did all kinds of things together. We partied, hung out and all that stuff that best friends do.
However, one day, she did something really awful and I ended the friendship.
About 4 or 5 years later, we bumped into each other at a mall, during summer break. She still considered me her best friend. However, I wasn't gonna just forget the whole thing and resume best friendship with her.
Yet, we did become friends and started talking again. This time, she had a girlfriend and was so in love with her. I got to meet her and she was really nice. It was awkward to see that Etna had transformed from a feminine lady to a DYKE. I mean...big time dyke!
We've since lost touch for like the past 3 or 4 years. I had just started dating KT and I remember telling Etna about him. I remember the last time I saw her. She was busy preparing a birthday party for her girlfriend. So, I told her that I'd come back since I didn't wanna hold her up.
Oh well. I do hope that she's happy wherever she is. We may not be friends anymore but I certainly can't forget her...with us coming out to each other.
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