National Coming Out Day- A day late

   The day I came out was nothing spectacular or sad. You see, my family is thankfully very supportive. The only person who had a less than supportive reaction was my grandmother. She said (out of anger, I believe) that it was disgusting and that I was going through a "phase". Well, grandma, I'm 23. Im also pretty sure I'm done with "phases". However a good friend received a great response from her very Christian grandma. Grandma V says "Hate the sin, Love the sinner". Now I was raised Christian, so I love this, but we do not all believe in God, and that is ok. I also feel as long as we all support each other and love one another, then that is all that matters.
  
    Many people don't have the support that my friend and I were lucky enough to have though. It isn't always that simple. Many of us in this great LGBTQ+ community struggle, and plan for months or years before coming out.
   
    So this is to EVERY person who is with us, wether you are out, or haven't came out.

Be Strong. Be Brave! Be the Beautiful You. YOU ARE LOVED!!!

   So here is to you, LGBTQ+ community. I hope your world is Bright and full to over flowing with love. Do Not Ever be afraid to be you! A good friend sent me his "Coming Out" story and wanted to share, so without further ado

Jordan, 23.
"Some people will say that if you are attracted to the same-sex, you are born that way. Other people will say that if you are attracted to the same-sex, you made that choice to be that way... Here is my story. I am bisexual, but in most aspects (not all) I am more attracted to males, and I knew all of this at the age of four. Growing up in the Midwest comes with a lot of pros and cons. To me, the biggest pro is that those "old-fashioned" values are still around and we are fortunate enough to be taught those values. The biggest con is that (most) people are stuck in their ways/beliefs and the thought of them opening their closed-minded minds would be blasphemous. One thing is for sure, growing up in the Midwest is not easy, especially if you are "queer." When I was in school: I was bullied, abused, harassed, teased, and an outcast; verbally & mentally. It was hard for me to stick through my schooling, to further my education, and God knows that there were several times I went home and just cried. However, looking back, I was pretty lucky and fortunate enough that I wasn't beaten, physically tortured, or something even worse... I came out to everyone I knew, except my dad, when I was 12. My mom already knew and she was/is very supportive. My dad, on the other hand, not so much. At age 20, I went in a roundabout way of telling him that I liked guy's, "but I like girls too!" All he had to say was that he does not believe in that "lifestyle" and he better not see it. My dad is the most important person to me, and it is upsetting that I have to hide it and that I can't talk to him about that part of my life, but I understand & I respect him enough to have no mention of it. Now, I'm 23, still living in the good 'ol Midwest, and I am blessed enough & honored to help others who  was or is in the same situations I have been in/am in... I give public speeches, mainly on LGBTPQ and mental health issues, as well as drug abuse, because we need to make an awareness and a change in the world for the better. I council people, none profit, and make resources available for them. Being a member of the LGBTPQ, is it a choice or were you born that way? In my opinion, it's neither. The only choice you make is whether or not you act on it. To be born gay, straight, or whatever it is that you may be, sounds silly to me... To be honest, I can't explain how or why we are the way we are. What I do know is that if there is any form of attraction, it's a chemical reaction, and a sweet satisfaction."

Thank you so much for sharing with my readers Jordan!

Happy National Coming Out Day- a day late from me, Eliza Marie, 23 year old Bisexual (and proud!) female, to you, whom ever you may be!