Out and Proud

[Marcus Harding]

OK since eveyone is piling in on this I gues I will throw my two cents in lol

Just Like Connor said, standing up for yourself and others really isn't somethign to be ashamed about. Doing actions like that really is how we change the world and make it go round every day. Without standing up for yourself you give the option for people to control you, which we all no is bad -wags finger-

Anyways! To Me, Gays/Lez/Bi people don't bother me at all. I think most of it is because I use to be Bicurious my freshman year, and my current gf is Bi. Even before that it didn't bother me really. I never thought about it till freshmen year when a bunch of my friends came out and told me they were Bi or Gay. I think people should live their own life on how they choose to live it, not by society's standards that have been set today, you know the whole skinny, straight smart ass kids? Yeah I hate that....

I won't get on the religious point very much, mostly because im Pagan, which I already get my feedback from people at school who hate the fact of that. So I can relate to the whole standing up for yourself. When people try to put me down with stuff like that, i try to keep a level head. Now, when they keep going on and on and on through the whole block/period/school time, Thats when I whip out my sword and smite them all! Muhahahahah.... -shifty eyes- Did I really just do that?!?

Sorry i was trying to ligthen the mood, I hate it when thigns get toooo serious lol. Well theres my two bits...I shall go hide in a corner till im needed

[Grace Heart]

lol My brother Cameron used to be Pagan! Then he went Christian...then Wiccan...Now I have no clue what he is. But that's not even the topic lol.

So I did the right thing by standing up, but not by yelling? Cuz I know I didn't keep a level head. I exploded.

[Marcus Harding]

Yup! But we all yell our first time so i cant really blame you >.< next time keep a level head and ur A-game. By yelling, your showing that its getting to you (which it is of course) but if you dont and just act very wise, you will find out people will leave you alone on the topic ^^

[Grace Heart]

Hehe...that wasn't my first argument >.< I've been arguing about this since I was like...12? Yes, 12. I was embarrassed about it when I was 9-11, but then I met this girl when I was 12 and...Well, I wasn't embarrassed anymore and I decided to be out. And I dated her for like three months and I realized I was happier being out. So I came out of the closet. Well...I kicked the door down lol And that's when I started arguing about it.

[Tristan Alexander]

So I'm trying to finish a project, but keep checking in...and this is distracting me, lmao so I must not be trying that hard.

I think based on what everyone has been saying, this is a safe place to come out....So I'll say it now and I'll only say it once. I'm a trans-man, born anatomically female, but a male in every sense of the word. Yes, it's a defect, yes I'm going to correct it, the end. To me this just means I am a guy, but I'm like the intersexed guys, I just had an issue with my genitals when I was born.

Anyway, now that you know, whatever I say after makes sense. I'm going to be fighting my whole life to get people to try and understand that I'm born this way, that I did not CHOOSE to be a man, I just am. I will be having this argument the rest of my life, whether it's wrong for me to exist, whatever. So I totally know where you were coming from when you stood up for yourself. Take it from someone who has to face bs questions day after day: You did the right thing standing up for yourself, never let that part of you die, HOWEVER your part in this life is to educate others....So I'm going to disagree that you handled it well. Don't yell next time, just calmly explain. I've found that I meet more resistance trying to educate people and get people on our side if I'm yelling at them or letting them get to me, so I just calmly sit down, say what I have to say, and answer even the stupidest of questions in a matter-of-fact way.

Cause the fact of the matter is, we were ALL born this way whether you're trans, gay, or straight. Doesn't matter. It's been scientifically proven that we are born this way, so no need to get angry. Yes, we will encounter resistance in our struggle for acceptance, but the best way to counter that resistance is with our own acceptance, love, and education. Me and some of my friends have received hate comments on youtube, and the only way to deal with that is not to yell or curse back, it's just to keep explaining until you're blue in the face and not get angry about it.

So also on the choice note, now that I've explained that we're all born the way we are, (via chromosomes etc), being gay straight or trans is never a choice, it's the way you are. (Gah I hate when people say it's cool for people to be gay, they can live however they choose, cause no one CHOOSES to be gay...lol).

[Grace Heart]

Wow. That's good to know. Don't you get tired of explaining who you are all the time though? Because I know I get tired of asnwering questions from my peers about who I am and my lifestyle. Did it take you awhile to be able to be calm when talking about it?

[Tristan Alexander]

No. Being trans is not who I am, I am a person first and foremost and the things I do and like make me who I am, being trans is just a medical issue I have. That's like saying because I have sickle cell, I'm a sickle cell anemic and that's all there is to me. (Lol I don't know if I come off angry when I type all this, I'm very calm and just explaining in all honesty...tone sucks when it's just words). I don't get tired of explaining, no, but I do get tired of coming out. I'm a transman who just wants to be seen, treated and respected as any other guy would be, so I don't like coming out and altering people's view of me because my genitals do not define my gender or who I am, and unless you understand that you're not going to see me the same way if I come out as you would see your brother or male best friend. I find people who don't understand will always think about my being trans in the back of their mind whenever they interact with me, so I'd rather they just don't know because I'm no different from any other guy in my mind.

Umm... I've been out the closet to family and friends for 6 months, I've known for 7....So it hasn't been all that long a journey for me. It's still a very touchy subject for me of course, but it never made me angry. If anything I've been afraid rather than angry, because of all the trans-hate crimes out there, and all the trans hate on youtube. It only took me....5 months for me to stop making everything personal and emotional, and turn it around and educate and explain calmly. So not all that long? I don't get tired of answering questions, I'd rather people knew and understood than remain ignorant. Hatred and fear from people who commit hate crimes and comments are only born of ignorance, so if you explain and educate, there is no room for hatred and fear to grow. Better to explain than let hatred consume.

[Grace Heart]

I can totally relate to the scared part. Not for trans, but for bi/lez (as people often confuse me for lez). It's not the same, I know. But there's hate and killing and crimes against us too, and I know how scary it can get. Has anyone ever tried to attack or hurt you?

And even when I try to explain or educate, people choose not to learn. Is there any certain way I should act, or anything that will help open them up to new ideas?

[Tristan Alexander]

No I've never been attacked. Like I said I don't come out to very many people, so not many people really know. I'm a guy as far as they're concerned or some androgynous kid. And I know there are a lot of hate crimes out there amongst the GLBTQ community, but try to remember that while there are still people who don't understand or tolerate in this world, there ARE still people who love and accept us as we are, and there are plenty of straight people who support our cause. I stood side by side with gays and straights in a protest to allow gay marriage and remove the ban on it. The world is not as hopeless as it appears to be. And look at all the people who have responded here with their supportive messages, does that not show that all is not lost?

Just be an open person yourself, be calm and accepting, understanding. People are a lot more drawn to that than anger and hate, and a lot more willing to learn if they realize you're willing to teach, and not judge or become emotionally involved as you're teaching. People tell me I sound really calm and wise and that's what keeps them coming back I suppose, and asking questions. Most important be open, don't resist.

[Grace Heart]

I'll try. And yea, I know there's a lot of people who still support us. That's something that always makes me smile. When people want to help us.

[Aimee Hathaway]

Wow, I love how everyone is coming out and how this is turning out. Excuse the cheesy comment, but I feel the love. I'll be here if you guys need my help and all and I'm glad that you both are sticking up for yourselves and telling people about everything and what it is instead of just yelling and hard like not caring and just saying fuck off to the world. I know people like that and it's definetly not helping anyone, and I'm happy that you both are sticking up and educating.

[Grace Heart]

Well, we're not under attack here, no ones telling us that we're going to Hell or anything, so really, we have no reason to be yelling or telling anyone to fuck off lol. Thanks you guys, for talking and just being an awesome group of people. You guys are really understanding and one of the best groups of people I've RP'd with by far.

(Lol my playlist went to My Hero Is You by Hayden Panitierre as I was typing my response >.<)

[Tristan Alexander]

There should never be a reason for yelling or hostility of any sort. You should always meet people without resistance. Lol I can't stress that enough. Even if someone told you to go to hell, telling them to fuck off is not going to make things easier for anyone....

[Grace Heart]

My dad said if they're yelling, to calmly tell them, in a level voice, "Yelling louder doesn't make you right."