exploring
IDENTITY
Along with his own journey of self-discovery, Michael Chapin strives to help others with theirs.
by yasmin khan any know Michael Chapin as a charismatic, creative character around campus. Beneath his joyous persona, however, is a determined soul fighting an uphill battle to make the school a more inclusive place. Coupled with his ongoing struggle to be accepted himself, Chapin’s road-map to find community is one most high school students cannot fathom. Chapin came out as gay during his freshman year. Coincidentally, this was also an election year–a period when outspoken political opinions were at an all-time high. He was already anxious about how people would receive him. The election of President Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed anti-LGBTQ+ politician, and his Vice President Mike Pence, a supporter of electroshock conversion therapy, only propagated Chapin’s worries. “In truth, I did not accept myself for years,” Chapin said. “Because of the stories on the news and [America’s] history of homophobia, especially aimed at young people, I thought being gay was a tragedy that would see me kicked out of home or dead.” Although a better future seemed distant, Chapin wanted to embrace his true self after coming out. Initially, he sought validation from his peers. He spread himself thin for months on end, adamant on maintaining good relationships. But after recognizing that genuine acceptance can only come from within, Chapin changed his outlook. “With the benefit of hindsight, I know now that if people had turned on me, it would have eventually been for the best,” Chapin said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be around people who can’t accept someone else because they supposedly love wrong.” Looking back, Chapin even acknowledged that he would not have done anything differently when he came out––including the temporary period of doubting his self-worth. “[I would like to think] that I would be more trusting if I [did] something differently,” Chapin said. “But, honestly, I do not think 8
[that is the case.] I was working things out on my own, and I think that was necessary for me to get to where I am now.” As a senior, Chapin served as a board member of the Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA). He first sought out a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community when he joined the club. With a few years of club experience tucked under his belt, Chapin continued investing in learning about his peers and further developed his pointof-view from the vantage point of a leadership position. “Places where members of the LGBTQ+ community feel safe are hard to find, and I wanted to make sure that GSA would be such a place,” Chapin said. “It also gives us a group of people who understand each other unconditionally and who can support each other in ways others might not be able to.” Chapin said his primary goal was to provide an auxiliary system: an epicenter for both educating its members and the school as a whole about LGBTQ+ issues. “The default for our society is straight,” Chapin said. “When you are not the default, people are going to think of you as ‘other.’ Getting around that is sometimes difficult, but we are lucky enough to live in a country where being a part of the [LGBTQ+] community
“It’s no one’s right to tell you who you are: that’s up to you.”
Michael Chapin
is more or less accepted.” Despite feeling like an outsider sometimes, Chapin managed to create one of the most inclusive spaces in the school, according to Lexi Bortnick ‘20. “Through his work with GSA, I believe that Michael has given individuals in the LGBTQ+ community an outlet that they struggled to find in the past,” Bortnick said. “Michael has made GSA more than just a club––he has made it a smaller community within Woodward where all individuals feel as if their voices are heard. [He] has greatly
