CASE STUDY: LGBT STUDENT EXPERIENCES
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“I’m happy.” I identify as bisexual. I think I came to the full realization I was…a sophomore in high school I knew I always I tried to make my parents happy. I like girls I always knew I had some attraction to both I came to the full realization I like both I always knew I had feelings for both I had to do some soul searching I first came out I told her I was comfortable I started telling my friends I think I feel like the diversity prepared me I would be exposed to I’m very grateful I recently just came out to my mom. I like girls I’m growing up I am I told her “I kind of had a feeling” “I’m happy.” In this I poem, Gabriel describes how many different thoughts and feelings ran through his mind as he prepared to come out. He struggled between always knowing his true sexual identity, seen with his repetition of the statement “I always knew”, and trying to make his Catholic happy by telling them “I like girls”. Upon deep reflection and “soul searching”, the tone of the I poem transitions as Gabriel became more comfortable with who he was and started to come out to his friends. The battle with his internal monologue, represented by his “I always knew” statement, disappears from the poem completely and is instead replaced with “I’m