I had a friend in college we'll call "Pete." Pete was raised a catholic, alter boy, went to a Jesuit high school. Always claimed to be straight, talked about the girls he was attracted to etc etc. Finally, senior year aged 22, he came out as gay. He had known he was gay since 13. Said he prayed every night for God to "change" him. Thought about killing himself. Thought about that A LOT.
Finally "Pete" accepted himself as he was. He didn't "choose" to be gay, didn't want to be gay, was stuck that way and couldn't change it. I can't help but think that in a more open school, a school that didn't try to force him into a role that didn't fit him, he would have been able to accept the truth about himself with a lot less pain.
And I can't help but think about the other "Petes" out there who can't deal with the pain of being forced into the wrong role and DO kill themselves. I can't help but think of the tragedy and the loss due to other people trying to force people into roles that don't fit them.
I was lucky, I'm cis-gendered and even then, high school years weren't the easiest socially. You were probably lucky too. Look, you don't know everything about nature and the human brain and human desires. The truth is some people are gay and can't change it. The truth is a few people are trans, and can't change it. It's happened all thru history. It's the truth about people.
