LGBT
February 6, 2020 rustlernews.com
Page design by Nancy Beston.
by Justin Freeny, staff writer In my short time as a gay man here at CMR, my eyes have been opened to how accepting our city is, and it has truly baffled me. There are so many LGBTQ+ people in the school, and they are accepting of one another, and it’s not just limited to just the members of the community, but it’s also the other students. For the most part, I have come across good people here who are very accepting. It has mostly been teachers and administration who have failed to try and accept me and my fellow peers into the school. I believe that school’s employees, forget that we are here and when they remember, they don’t usually respond positively. There are a few good allies here at CMR, but I know of people who refuse to come out because they are afraid that adults will retaliate against them. I especially felt this way for my underclassman years. This school should be a place where everyone can feel accepted, no matter who they are, or who they love. We are on our way to that point, but too slowly. It is 2020. It is a new decade and a brand new start. It is my hope that at some point soon, there is a drastic change. We can truly make this a school a place where everyone is more accepting.
BAD*SS STRONG WORTHY VALID UNIQUE ACCEPTED LOVED GOING TO BE OK SUPPORTED AMAZING PERFECTLY YOU
YOU ARE...
“
I would say to anyone who is nervous about coming out, is looking at joining the club here on campus. It’s not sure for people who are already out, it’s for students who have a friend who’s out or maybe a family member who is out. I think that it is a really good place to start because you know that that group is very accepting. Another thing you can do is come and talk to one of us down in the counseling center. We can help you navigate that transition into ‘who do you tell,’ ‘when do you tell,’ and kind of navigate that road. It’s a big decision, and you have to be ready for it. It’s extremely important that each person gets to make that decision for themselves, and no one else does it for them. Jacie Schoenen counselor
11
Coming out of the closet by Isabel Foley, introduction to journalism Coming out is incredibly personal and people face many challenges. Some aren’t accepted or are told that it’s just a phase. Kasi Thompson, a teacher at North Middle School, has her own experience coming out. “My coming out experience as a whole was absolutely wonderful,” Thompson said. She said her parents didn’t skip a beat; her friends, however, were a different story. “I think my friends had a more difficult out to my mom in the middle of Walmart,” he said. Kiernan time just because they felt like they knew everything about said his friends were accepting, but his dad got mad and me and, when I told them, I think it hurt them to feel like I his mom didn’t seem to care. He said he first came out to was lying to them the whole time, which absolutely wasn’t friends and saved his family for the last minute. the case. Some friendships took a minute to bounce back “I feel like my mom doesn’t care. I feel like she doesn’t to normal, but they absolutely did,” Thompson said. She support it, but she’s okay with it,” Kiernan said. He said that said that there were no long-lasting negative effects of her his friends are all okay with it; the first friend he came out coming out. to was already out as trans. However, he also said that his “They all realized that I am still the same person that I dad is still unsupportive, and usually just ignores the topic. have always been and that will never waver because of the “If you think coming out is not going to be safe, like you gender of my spouse,” she said. could get kicked out, don’t [come out]. Because Thompson has been Wait until you’re safe to come out. If “You shouldn’t hide who through coming out herself, she has you know your parents are supportive you are just because you think advice for those who are struggling to and accepting just come out when you accept themselves. some people won’t accept you. are ready. Don’t let anyone force you “I would tell those struggling to out of the closet,” Kiernan said. You need to accept the fact come out to really latch onto the people Ila Boily, a freshman, had a different that people won’t accept you, who support them unconditionally. experience. She said she came out to Come out to the people who accept you her friends first, and half of them didn’t because there will always be for who you are and if there are people this large community of people accept her. that do not love you because of this “I lost a lot of friends that day [...] it who will, and will love you minor detail about you then it is their felt like I was being rejected by a part of loss,” Thompson said. for who you are.” --Ila Boily me that had supported me. It sucked. Coming out experiences vary from I cried a lot.” Boily said. She said that person to person. Three people look to this day she has not come out to her back on their personal stories and their biological mom, her brother or her stepdad. Boily said that advice they have for those struggling to tell others about her dad and stepmom know and accept her. their sexual preferences and gender orientation. “You shouldn’t hide who you are just because you think Christian Kiernan, a freshman, is one of these individuals some people won’t accept you. You need to accept the fact who had to come out and the reactions he received varied that people won’t accept you, because there will always be across the board. this large community of people who will, and will love you “Coming out with my sexuality was easy, and I came for who you are,” Boily said.
Kasi Thompson and her wife Amanda pose for photos with their son, Finn, (above) and on their wedding day. (left) Photos courtesy of Kasi Thompson.
