A Fur-Luann»; or 1H: leiml'rnu DAY AND LIIIIAN Ilmoll DuANIzAflnN
COMING-OUT DAY OBSERVANCES National Gay/Lesbian Crisis Line

The following stories were solicited for our (800) 2474283
National Coming Out Day issue in October. Due Teenage Gay/Lesbian Support
to our temporarily reduced size, we didn't have (800) 347-TEEN
room for them then. Thanks to the contributors, Thurs. _ Sun. 7pm-Midnight
and thanks for waiting

_ was surprised and told me he and Jim (another

from Kevm F- roommate) both were too. In fact, they had been
Ithink I knew I was gay in high school. I went out lovers.

With a few girls thOUQh- A5 a freshman, I was Once I told Matt, I felt a weight had been
very close t_0 a one. QUY- We were inseparable. lifted. l was coming out to everyone. I couldn’t
We never d'd anything, or 3V9” talked about It- believe how many people told me that they were
He transferred to adifferentschool. _ too. Nearly half of my friends were and one

A5 a sophomore, ' shared a room Wlth a guy a coworker was. I was surrounded by supportive
lot of people assumed was gay. We got along people. | knew I was very lucky.
great but never did anything, nor even talked
about it. He transferred to a different school. I from K'p_
began to seea pattern. _ aturday was the night before my thirtieth

. Aft.“ "TY Jun'oryea’ I had 3 Pretty "“3359 "3'5" birthday, and I was a little depressed. I’d had
tionship III/”h a woman. I assumed during that calls all day from friends and family, but decided to
relationship that maybe I IUSI thought I might be get in touch with someone I've been close to since
gay. After we broke up, lwas certain I was gay. I high school and come out to him. I called his
had seYera' crushes OII guys after that. BUI I house (in England by the way) but he was out, so I
never dId anything about It or talked about It' called another friend. He answered the phone

My 5?“ Year ' Shelled a house W'”‘ 4 me” ' VERY VERY drunk...and said he had something
was looking for a shirt that Matt borrowed from very important to tell me.
me, and | sawacopy of Mandate in his room. I came out to this guy a while ago and l
I COUIan believe my. 93493- Matt, my cutest started to think....”wow...he’s gonna tell me HE’S
roommate, had gay porn in his room. That night I gay too!” I was ready to buy a plane ticket home!
IIIOUQIII things ,thIOIIgh‘ I needed to say Sadly (for me) he said he was getting married and
something. I lay In ”IX bed, staring at the ceiling. he wanted me to be the best man. There was a
Isaid aloud to myself: lam gay! Once I became huge party going on there and the friend I’d
comfortable saying It to myself, I knew I COUId originally tried to call was there and came on the
admit It to others. The next-day WhIIe we were |ine....we talked for a while and then I told him i
Sitting on the couch, l blurted it all out to Matt. He
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