My Coming Out Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAoCeFtpeug&feature=plcp

The Denial of Marriage

The Denial of Marriage

The denial of marriage to a significant portion of American citizens on the basis of sexual orientation is a complete injustice that must be corrected. Marriage is a legal contract that is completely independent of any religious institution whatsoever. To deny a United States Citizen the right to marry is in direct violation of their unalienable rights. The issue of same-sex marriage clearly demonstrates that most of American is not fulfilling the criteria that were set for it by its founding fathers.

In a traditional definition, marriage is between a man and a woman, which makes perfect sense because traditionally marriage is between members of the opposite sex. However, sexual orientation is in no way a conscious choice that any humans have the ability to make. The general scientific consensus on this issue is that sexual orientation is determined by a mixture of biochemical and environmental factors that occur during early development.  A minority group should in no way be discriminated against regarding this issue, because it is of no harm or threat to anyone and is completely out of a discriminated individual’s control. It is remotely analogous to denying someone a right based on the color of their skin. The only thing that would result from the legalization of same-sex marriage is that same-sex marriage would be legal; nothing more.

                An unfortunately common argument against marriage equality is that legalizing same-sex marriage would loosen the moral standards and values of America, because it would be a gateway to a downhill slope of demoralization. Religious beliefs may determine moral standards of individuals within a nation; however it should not dictate how all citizens live. Instead, all citizens should have completely equal rights and it is their free-will to exercise these rights. This nation was founded on the principles of “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and the denial of same-sex marriage is denying all three of unalienable rights to LGBT citizens.

                The alarming amount of suicides committed by gay teenagers over the past several years has generated a tremendous amount of press and news coverage.  If same-sex marriage were legal, the entire paradigm of what it means to be and LGBT American citizen would shift, allowing for acceptance and tolerance to exist instead of bullying and hatred. This is how the denial of same-sex marriage denies life to the citizens that it affects.  Perhaps if the government wouldn’t bully LGBT citizens, neither would its people.

                Same-sex marriage still being illegal in the vast majority of states denies all affected citizens a major freedom. Marriage is a quintessential part of what the American dream is in today’s world. It is a societal ideal that all individuals should naturally have the freedom to pursue. To deny someone the freedom to marry an individual who is in mutual agreement is a complete denial of liberty to both citizens who are seeking to conduct themselves in this manner in which they have the right, naturally.  

                Any type of “valid” argument against marriage equality is merely rooted in either homophobia, lack of tolerance, hatred, or ignorance. Those who do not support same-sex marriage must ask themselves “What if the government took away your right to marry?” Obviously being denied such a right, so deeply embedded in the fabric of American culture, would deeply upset most people.  Most importantly, if someone does not have liberty and life, how could they possibly pursue happiness? How can LGBT individuals who are denied their unalienable rights be expected to be happy in this nation? The reality is that the LGBT citizens of America are, in most cases, second class citizens of a nation which was founded on the principal of equality; an atrocious contradiction. 

Wow.

Source: The Huffington Post Gay Voices

Totally GAY

When I was 12.. I already knew that I was totally GAY. I loved to play with girly things. I loved long hair and I actually wanted to be a girl. My thoughts always made me hesitate if I wanted to be a girl or boy but I wanted to be a boy. I want to be a fashion designer, dancer and a big and famous singer. I told my parents that I am gay and I told my brother too. The only thing he said was "Ok" but I saw fear in his eyes, his eyes were getting smaller and smaller I knew he wanted to say something awkward and he did. "But, why you don't try to kiss/fuck a girl?" My answer was "Because if I would.. I would lie to myself".

"You can try and try what you want.. but if you can't make decisions you actually say that you can't accept yourself" 

A Coming Out Story

Note: The following writing is not written by any of the primary authors of Our Closet Door and may or may not reflect our beliefs.

"ok so this is my coming out story, my first experience was when i was in 7th grade i had relations with this guy, but i thought i was still straight, welll i kept talking to this boy, and then i knew i was bisexual. i felt as if my life was over because my parents did not agree with me being "bi". i kept my sexuality a secret until one day i was texting this guy who my sister had said was bisexual and i uhmm told him i wanted to kiss him, well my sister was told by him and she told my dad. my dad questioned me about it and i said yes, he said that they would try to heal me, at first i was ok with it cause i thought that all lgbtq people go to hell, i was ok with it for a while. well for some reason rumors spread and more people started to hear about my , dad quoted as my "condition" i was devastated and i was teased constantly at school because of my sexuality, i tried to committ suicide three times because i feared my life would be hell after i came out, my dad doesnt accept me today because im gay, he tld me that he doesnt want to have a gay son, well that breaks my heart because my dad is my everything and to have him not see, hear , or talk to me was hell to me, i finally tried to hurt myself once more and was almost succesful in doing so, finally my dad realized that and he sent me to fc, well i turned out with 2 gay foster parents! i was excited, i wasnt out to everyone until one day i got the courage to come out to everyone on fb. some of them were xcepting others were not but , yeah i feel that i am excepted at the foster home im in, they are very supportive and amazing. my mom also excepts me , she told me that she wants me to love who i want to love, my mom goes to prides, she lives through me , she loves me for who i am but my dad still doesnt acccept me but im ok with, sometimes it depresses me but others im ok with it, i hope that one day he will learn to love me for who i am , i am glad that i am being exceptted by my best friends and my mom and my foster family, i am happy now, i fell that i can finally live at peace"

A REAL Person (TrevorSpace)

I recently got this group message on TrevorSpace (the LGBTQ teen social network) 


"We wonder why the gay community is not taken Seriously. One reason is because most gay guys will jump on every dick they see even if they are dating someone else. Most gay guys are WHORES!!! Maybe if we all grew up a little then maybe we might get a little more support from some people. PICK ONE DICK AND STICK TO IT!!!


Listen up....all u guys who every time I try to inbox u send me back want nude pics...I'm sick of it so stop period."


and it got me thinking...


Lately I’ve been spending a lot of my time alone in my room, writing, drawing, watching movies and reading. But it’s been difficult to release a lot of my anxiety about through art or text. Talking to someone online even on the deepest level of connection cannot compare to a face to face “real” conversation.

It is hard to maintain a relationship that only exists through pieces of technology, because it is not “real”. It’s insanely difficult, even being a kid in the year 2012 to establish real connection through our technology, because it feels inauthentic.

 How can someone be real if you can’t touch them? Something so out of reach, even in its most realistic forms, is still a very abstract concept that is hard to embrace as “human”.  

Establishing ties and relationships with people on TrevorSpace is a novelty that very quickly wears off. I find it amazing how long distance relationships can actually exist in this world.

How can a relationship in which the opposing parties only exist within pieces of technology remain authentic? If nothing compares to “the real thing” then is it possible for people to ever be satisfied in this situation, even if it’s obviously temporary?

How can we be real even if we aren’t actually present? 

OUR CLOSET DOOR

The Door

Right now my state of consciousness is a complete blur. One half has a sense of forward throttle, while the other struggles to flinch. For some reason or another, my life is always ridden with some sort of anxiety--- or at least it appears to be in every moment that I’m not in a state of complete harmony; a rarity.

My biggest fear is failure; I spend hours every day thinking about it. My fear of failure is what has kept me from writing this for 23 days. Sometimes I feel that what I go through is completely normal and human, but at others I blame it on my dramatic storm and stress personality.

 You could say that I’m a typical teenager--- but why the hell would I ever admit that? Why would I settle for anything typical? I feel like I was born atypical and that my unique qualities must be put to use as devices; capable of progress and change in the world. It is quite obvious to me and my community that society must become more accepting and tolerant of who I am. I will do anything to reach this point.

I feel completely pretentious saying this and I do not have complete confidence in myself, so I feel obligated to tell you about how stupid I feel. However, I know that all of my delusion is very much real to me, and it is important that I be honest about this. It is important to me that I am a soldier for my beliefs; to fight for my individuality and actually do something with my insanity.

 I want to feel important. I do not want to be insignificant now, later, or when I’m dead. I do not want to settle for what is given to me, but rather fight for more, and never surrender. Everything scares me.

Who am I?

A)     A teenager

B)      Gay

C)      A human

D)     A boy

E)      My generation

I am not only myself, but I am also you in many ways. This is not my closet door, but instead

OUR CLOSET DOOR.

It is our dreams, our nightmares, our fears, and our hopes.

Our past, present, and future

OUR CLOSET DOOR