I’m From Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

by Michael Kelly

Google Earth Satellite Image of QLA Australia

My story starts in grade eight, which is the first year of high school where I live. I remember my sister was always changing her hair colour and seemed to always con me into practising on my hair first. So the first day in this new world of teenagers and tall people I arrive with uniform and pink hair. I personally didn’t think much of it, I thought it was quite cool and I remember this girl came up to me and asked, “Are you gay?” I had no idea what that meant. I had to ask her what she was calling me. She went back to her friends and they all came giggling back over to me and explained that it’s when one boy likes another boy, which was gross to them. I said no as I am pretty sure I had never really taken any thought of it. But anyways, from this interaction, gossip spread and I had received a label to be gay.

As the years went by, I became more curious about the topic of gay as did everyone else. Only because the other guys and girls where saying who they thought were and weren’t… typical school stuff. I had felt as though I must be gay if everyone else thought so.

Essentially from this time and experience at school, I personally think that I had become gay due to the pure curiosity to find out what others thought defined me as gay. I always had wonderful friends and was told that I was a part of the prep group of people at high school so I wasn’t teased, I was merely a fascinating topic to others.

I wonder if others had felt as though this might have been a similar experience for them during school.

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