Being Gay in High School

[dude]

Being Gay in High School

David Johnson, Reporter

Posted Sunday, August 27, 2006

When I went to West Lauderdale Attendance Center, a county school in Collinsville, MS, my being gay wasn?t accepted by most of the students. While walking from class to class, it wasn?t uncommon for me to here the sneer in a person?s voice when they said ?fag? as I passed by. As I said early, this was a county school, so it was expected. I wasn?t bothered by this since I?ve never been on to give a damn what people think about me. My experience so far in this world has taught me to concentrate on reaching your own goals, and crush the bastards like these who try to step in your way.

When I came to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (?MSMS?), that changed. If someone asked me if I was gay, I of course told them I was. The usual response: ?OK.? Being gay wasn?t uncommon at this school. During the meetings of the GSA club (which I am president of this year, woot!), we often wondered what we could do since the gay population didn?t really have any opposition. I finally felt like I was at a place where I fit in.

This year, however, there are quite a few homophobes in the new junior class. This greatly disappoints me, since this is supposed to be a school for open-minded individuals. I sometimes wonder if perhaps our admissions committee is just letting in anyone now. One of the juniors (not a homophobe) told me that some of the other juniors were actually afraid of me because they thought I would hit on them or something. After this bit of info was given to me, I immediately sent out an email to my fellow classmates:

?*Le sigh* OK, so from stuff I've heard recently, apparently some of the junior guys are "afraid" of me because they think I'm going to hit on them or something. First of all, I hate gay guys who hit on straight guys. Second of all, your thinking that I'm going to hit on you is rather arrogant, don't you think? Most of you aren't that attractive anyway.?

I hate it when straight guys use the ?gay guys hit on straight guys? excuse to immediately hate gay guys. From the email, you can tell that I can?t stand gay guys who hit on straight guys. Of course, I hit on straight guys, but only when they?re my friend and I?m just joking around with them. I don?t even mind complimenting a good looking guy on his appearance if I know that he?s secure enough not to care that a comment like that is coming from another guy. However, I?m certainly not going to chase after a straight man. Hell, I won?t even chase after a gay man because I?m not that desperate.

Of course, this is only the beginning of the year, and MSMS accepts students from all over the state. I?m hoping that these initial homophobic feelings can just be attributed to how things were done at their previous schools and that they will eventually disperse. After all, I?m the president of the GSA, and I?ll be more than happy to pry their minds open with a (metaphorical) crow bar if I have to!

The next installment of this three part series, Being Gay in College, will be published next Monday, September 4, 2006.

http://www.queerplanet.us/moxie/columnists...82806-002.shtml