Eric’s Coming Out Story
This post is written by Eric K., a current member of CGMC.
When I was a child, I had records with story books. I would dance and sing around my bedroom by myself. In junior high school I would buy muscle man magazines from the 7-11 and hide them in my room. Even knowing these facts I didn’t really “come out” until I was 16 years old.
When I was 16 years old I fell in love with my best friend. He was straight and it was unrequited. He ended up ending our friendship and leaving our school. It was probably the only time in my life I truly felt suicidal. Someone very close to me wrote a letter letting me their same sex attraction, it was like doors opened in my mind I suddenly realized I was gay.
When I was a senior in high school my mom found a Windy City Times LGBT newspaper in my room. Someone had mailed it to me from the city. My parents confronted and outed me. I didn’t handle it very well and was very defensive. I was even sent to a therapist but he told me there was nothing he could do for me if I was happy with being gay. I moved to Chicago my junior year of college and soon joined a gay chorus. It was an important coming out moment for me inviting friends and family to a gay event. I never looked back.
Ironically I now write some freelance theater reviews for the Windy City Times and thanks to CGMC I can’t go anywhere without knowing people from our community.
