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Owning His Gay Identity -- at 15 Years Old
Youths Coming Out Sooner, but Protections Against Harassment Lag
By Theresa Vargas, Washington Post Staff Writer
School's out, and Saro Harvey and his best friend, Samantha Sachs, are hanging out in his Arlington County bedroom. She is slouched across his bed, and he is poised on a chair, posture-perfect, wearing dark, skinny jeans and a ruffled shirt meant for a girl. A rust-orange purse he sometimes carries hangs behind the door.
The 15-year-olds were voted most popular last spring in their section of ninth grade at Wakefield High School. Still, Saro knows there are those on and off campus who don't like him, who never will.
He has grown so used to the stares and laughter of strangers that their insults slip off his 118-pound frame like an oversize shirt.
"I think I've dealt with it so much my whole life that it really doesn't bother me anymore, not as much as it used to," Saro says. "If you have a birthmark on your leg for so long, you don't even notice it."
More Here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/13/AR2008071302066.html
(\\__/) And if you don't believe The sun will rise
(='.'=) Stand alone and greet The coming night
(")_(") In the last remaining light. (C. Cornell)
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I listened to this audio clip and I think this person is an example of one gender trapped in the body of the other gender. He's really courageous for being himself in spite of the teasing and reactions from some idiots. The point is these guys who act up and act out, and behave like girls, are comical to some degree. Even other gay guys laugh at some of their antics. People stare and laugh not because this guy is gay, but because he's acting outside the usual way a boy is expected to act.
Yes, it's true; if my friends and I saw this dude on the street we'd assume "gay boy." Like if we saw a girl with cropped hair dressed in guy's work clothes we'd think "dyke." People do use appearences to form immediate opinions. This dude wants others to know he's gay, that's one of the reasons he acts this way and carries a flaming orange purse. Believe me, the orange purse isn't a political statement of support for the Queen of The Netherlands.
I've been thinking about degrees of "gayness" and how most guys fit someplace along a sliding scale of attraction towards men versus women. I think there are guys who are guys and who are attracted to other guys. We're interested in guy stuff, and do guy stuff, maybe play sports, and we act like guys. A lot of us are mildly to largely attracted to girls too.
Then there are guys who act like girls, and like girl stuff and even sound like girls. I think those guys are really girls that are trapped in a boy's body. Somehow, their brains are girl's brains and their bodies are boy's bodies.
Same thing happens with Lesbians who are really manish. They are boys trapped in a girl's body.
I think when the difference between their brains and their bodies becomes strong enough, and they have enough courage, then persons like this decide to transgender. Then they are truly who they should be. I think boys and girls who go through that are massively courageous.
[Updated on: Tue, 15 July 2008 10:41] |
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Yes, Jon,
It's the courage it takes that I admire. From Quentin Crisp I've not known how they could do it.
I rowed in the first eight for my college; I don't think I have any 'pansy' habits or girly mannerisms but nevertheless in college I now think people knew. At the time I thought my disguise was perfect!
I recently read "Totally Joe" by James Howe and I am just amazed how different the world is.
A hundred years ago the worst thing was to be a 'coward' and not volunteer for the first world war. 75 years ago my father was ashamed to be illegitimate. Fifty years ago I was ashamed to be homosexual. What was it 25 years ago? and today? Is it to be fat?
Love,
Anthony
[Updated on: Tue, 15 July 2008 10:55] |
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Clew, I'll remember this the next time a certain person appears at poolside dressed in nothing but a grass skirt and a lei and proceeds to do a hula.::-)
Wonder what might be lurking behind that little flap? Hmmm.....? Want some gum little boy?
[Updated on: Tue, 15 July 2008 12:19] |
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This was an extremely profound article to read for me. I'm very happy young teens are comfortable (and even laughing; in a good way) about their own orientations. That's really how it should be anyway.
And if you do think about what everyone's gonnasay (like I have,) then you will be depressed a lot (which I am, somewhat.)
Don't care about what others think, because in the end, you are still you.
*hugs*
~Josh~
21.
Love who you want to.
~Josh~
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Bite me!
That wasn't a hula and you know it!
It was the ancient Hawaiian Ka'Maa'n Ei Wanna Lei'ah dance.
Worked too!
Didn't it, stud boy?!?!?
;-D
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"Bite me?" Nice talk. You kiss your mom with that mouth?!?!
I might lick ya a little, and gnaw on ya a little, but never just bite ya.
And yes, the dance worked, as you well know already.
But you don't have to dance, just whistle.
You know how to whistle, don't ya?
You just put your lips together...
... AND BLOW!
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Here I am, all sweaty and covered in sawdust and wood shavings from the shed, trying to eat my lunch in the nice air conditioning, and now I have to put up with all your drollery!
Yeah, I know how to blow alright. Never heard any complaints outta you!
And yeah, I do kiss Mom with this mouth, but I'd rather be kissing you, so put your lips together.
I'm tellin' ya, you jus' wait 'till tonight. Y'all jus' wait!
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