Personal Stories: Our Views and Experiences Regarding the LGBT Community
Elizabeth : Throughout high school, a lot of my friends came out as being either bisexual, gay or lesbian, and as a group, we supported one another and defended each other against the homophobic and negative remarks heard frequently in our community, in our homes, and in our school. It was never a matter of being "different" or "wrong", we just accepted that we were all unique and had our own preference. I was often harassed in grade 9 and 10 by people who would just come and ask me if I was a "dyke" or if I was with one of my female friends, some of who were known throughout the school just based on their sexuality. Sometimes older generations would make jokes about my friends and I, or make very wrong assumptions, but we just lauged it off or corrected them. Overall, due to my sexuality and my experiences with my friends, there have been times that are happy and times that are uncomfortable, but yet I am still comfortable to support and defend people who are judged or discriminated against because of their sexual preferences.
Maureen: When I was younger I had a very homophobic attitude. This was partly due to the fact that I was raised in a strict Roman Catholic home and school community, as well as the fact that many of my peers had negative attitudes and perceptions of homosexuality. It was a common insult to be called a "lesbian" or "dyke", mostly used as a pseudonym for weird or strange, rather than being based on any actual evidence of sexuality. I was considered an outcast, and as a result was frequently referred to as a "dyke" and this fostered a great need in me to overcompensate by becoming extremely prejudice against the LGBT community. I started to make the same jokes, and say the same negative and hurtful comments that had been said to me. Into highschool I began to become almost hateful of anyone who seemed to me, whether it was true or not, to be gay and ostracized them. It was not until I became involved with a grassroots harm reduction project in my home town that supported diversity and human rights in all forms that I really became aware of issues surrounding LGBT struggles. I was exposed to people of the LGBT community and developed lasting friendships with many of them. For me, it was the expelling of fear and learning that it was okay to be who you are that changed my attitude. I became an ally and a supporter of gay rights and was disgusted at how I had treated others, especially when I knew how it felt to be discriminated against myself. Even though I am straight I learned to appreciate (although I could never fully) the effects of prejudice and ignorance, and I thank those people that helped me open my eyes, thankfully, early on in my life.
Shenaed: I was raised around many homophobic people who were large influences in my life. Many of my main male figures who I was usually surrounded by had very negative attitudes towards people who were not heterosexual; because of this I never really understood how to think of people who were LGBT when I saw them or heard stories. Even though I was raised in this environment I had many other people in my life, mainly women who would disagree with whomever was speakingpoorly of people who are LGBT. I think my attitude towards people who are LGBT was always very positive and accepting because of these few people. Once I was old enough to understand what exactly it was to be LGBT I was always very defensive when people would speak down upon these people. It is someones life and it is what makes them happy it should not matter to anyone else in the world!
Veronica: Speaking as a bisexual, I know the struggles of being able to come out to people. It wasn't until my first experimentation experience when I was in high school before I realized that I felt the same way between both genders. At first, I was very ashamed of the way I felt towards both females and males, and I didn't pursue any sort of "coming out" when I was in high school. In high school I was afraid of people laughing at me and thinking that I'm a freak for it. When I hit college, I was still quite reluctant to say that I liked females as much as I liked males, but after I met some friends and felt comfortable telling them, and seeing how supportive they were, I decided that it wasn't the end of the world to tell others, and everyone supported me. I've had a few people laugh at me for it, and it does hurt, but I quickly get over it because I know that for every person that dislikes that about me, 5 people support me. It's quite difficult to come out and tell some people because for example, some of my female friends get freaked out and think that I like them when I tell them, and I have to tell them that I'm not into them and that I'm just letting them know. I haven't actually fully DATED a girl, but I wouldn't rule out the idea if the right one came around. I feel that sharing my struggles and my support will hopefully impact the people who read this Wiki and maybe they will feel comfortable as well. Because in my opinion, "I am me, you are you, labels are for soup cans", ALWAYS be yourself and ALWAYS BE INDIVIDUAL :D !
Personal Stories: Our Views and Experiences Regarding the LGBT Community
Elizabeth : Throughout high school, a lot of my friends came out as being either bisexual, gay or lesbian, and as a group, we supported one another and defended each other against the homophobic and negative remarks heard frequently in our community, in our homes, and in our school. It was never a matter of being "different" or "wrong", we just accepted that we were all unique and had our own preference. I was often harassed in grade 9 and 10 by people who would just come and ask me if I was a "dyke" or if I was with one of my female friends, some of who were known throughout the school just based on their sexuality. Sometimes older generations would make jokes about my friends and I, or make very wrong assumptions, but we just lauged it off or corrected them. Overall, due to my sexuality and my experiences with my friends, there have been times that are happy and times that are uncomfortable, but yet I am still comfortable to support and defend people who are judged or discriminated against because of their sexual preferences.
Maureen: When I was younger I had a very homophobic attitude. This was partly due to the fact that I was raised in a strict Roman Catholic home and school community, as well as the fact that many of my peers had negative attitudes and perceptions of homosexuality. It was a common insult to be called a "lesbian" or "dyke", mostly used as a pseudonym for weird or strange, rather than being based on any actual evidence of sexuality. I was considered an outcast, and as a result was frequently referred to as a "dyke" and this fostered a great need in me to overcompensate by becoming extremely prejudice against the LGBT community. I started to make the same jokes, and say the same negative and hurtful comments that had been said to me. Into highschool I began to become almost hateful of anyone who seemed to me, whether it was true or not, to be gay and ostracized them. It was not until I became involved with a grassroots harm reduction project in my home town that supported diversity and human rights in all forms that I really became aware of issues surrounding LGBT struggles. I was exposed to people of the LGBT community and developed lasting friendships with many of them. For me, it was the expelling of fear and learning that it was okay to be who you are that changed my attitude. I became an ally and a supporter of gay rights and was disgusted at how I had treated others, especially when I knew how it felt to be discriminated against myself. Even though I am straight I learned to appreciate (although I could never fully) the effects of prejudice and ignorance, and I thank those people that helped me open my eyes, thankfully, early on in my life.
Shenaed: I was raised around many homophobic people who were large influences in my life. Many of my main male figures who I was usually surrounded by had very negative attitudes towards people who were not heterosexual; because of this I never really understood how to think of people who were LGBT when I saw them or heard stories. Even though I was raised in this environment I had many other people in my life, mainly women who would disagree with whomever was speakingpoorly of people who are LGBT. I think my attitude towards people who are LGBT was always very positive and accepting because of these few people. Once I was old enough to understand what exactly it was to be LGBT I was always very defensive when people would speak down upon these people. It is someones life and it is what makes them happy it should not matter to anyone else in the world!
Veronica: Speaking as a bisexual, I know the struggles of being able to come out to people. It wasn't until my first experimentation experience when I was in high school before I realized that I felt the same way between both genders. At first, I was very ashamed of the way I felt towards both females and males, and I didn't pursue any sort of "coming out" when I was in high school. In high school I was afraid of people laughing at me and thinking that I'm a freak for it. When I hit college, I was still quite reluctant to say that I liked females as much as I liked males, but after I met some friends and felt comfortable telling them, and seeing how supportive they were, I decided that it wasn't the end of the world to tell others, and everyone supported me. I've had a few people laugh at me for it, and it does hurt, but I quickly get over it because I know that for every person that dislikes that about me, 5 people support me. It's quite difficult to come out and tell some people because for example, some of my female friends get freaked out and think that I like them when I tell them, and I have to tell them that I'm not into them and that I'm just letting them know. I haven't actually fully DATED a girl, but I wouldn't rule out the idea if the right one came around. I feel that sharing my struggles and my support will hopefully impact the people who read this Wiki and maybe they will feel comfortable as well. Because in my opinion, "I am me, you are you, labels are for soup cans", ALWAYS be yourself and ALWAYS BE INDIVIDUAL :D !
Nicole: Growing up