I saw a TikTok edit of Cole Mackenzie from Anne with an E, where he came out to Aunt Josephine. She proceeds to tell him, “You have a life of such joy before you. Not without hardship. Not without bumps in the road. Be safe with those you trust. But when you do find people to trust, the bond will be that much greater. I'm quite touched... by you choosing me as one.” This episode specifically has a special place in my heart. It allowed me to see that I could lead a life of authenticity with the correct people surrounding me.
At 15, when I first started coming out, I never understood why I was told, “Thank you for telling me,” because for me, it was more of, “Thank you for allowing me to feel safe enough to show who I really am, and not have to hide behind that awful mask.” I have so much gratitude for the first adults who allowed me to come out and let me feel safe and express myself in ways 11-to 13-year-old me would’ve never thought possible.
When I first watched that episode of Anne with an E, I didn’t understand how much of it would apply to my life. I met so many LGBTQ+ kids in middle school, and they allowed me to feel safe in a school where you feel everyone can tell you’re different. In high school I was allowed to express myself and use my preferred name and pronouns. Sure, I was constantly scared that the people at home would find out, and I would get badly hurt. Thankfully, there was always someone I could speak to if I didn’t feel safe.
I was 12 when I first watched that episode. I couldn’t wait to meet an adult I could trust. I would ask and beg every day to meet someone who I could tell because, obviously, being 12, I thought that not a single person could be so accepting in such a small town. I learned that there will always be someone I can trust. I just have to open up my eyes a little more, and stop living in complete fear.

I always felt like I had difficulty making friends due to my terribly bad skills of reading social cues. This was more notable to me freshman year of college whenever I had to do group projects, or create study groups. I was just never social enough to create friendships. Coupled with the fact that whenever I did speak to people they would always be the scum of the Earth, real racist, weird, or even more socially inept people. So to my surprise whenever I got a job earlier this year and this guy makes random movie refrences and I laugh, leading him to talk to me more and eventually form a friendship has me giddy in all sorts of ways. Not only was this the first friendship that I had made in a job, it was also the first genuine friendship I made using my spanish speaking personality. The first time that I didn't meet someone in church, or have them be a family friend made this feel like a HUGE accomplishment, which it very much so was.
Then I found out that he did not live in the US and had to go back to Mexico made me all sad. Who knew when, or if, I was ever going to see him-- his uncles-- and this other guy whose parents forced him to come work in the US. I havent seen him in over two months and I still think about them. It makes me think of the people who I met at a shelter when Hurricane Helene hit in Georgia. The 2 families lived in trailer parks and were in areas that were hit pretty hard. I never knew what their situation was after we left the shelter, but I pray to whoever takes care of us, that they had somewhere safe to go. I know life will be filled with random people that we will never see again, but that won't ever stop me from wondering where or what happened to them.

Social constructs are ideas and concepts that are widely accepted by a society, for example, the American way of life. Today’s norms were not fixed in the way we see them today. They were shaped over time by what was understood in that certain period and eventually, people accepted them as truth. In essence, the reality we know today was not shaped by an objective, pre-existing truth. People are constantly learning from others, building their knowledge and reality, and every person comes with a self-created reality that evolves as that person grows. Everything is evolving as humans evolve. Nothing is ever stagnant, not even the English language, as it has evolved in recent years and is continuing to evolve, creating unfamiliar words and slang.
…
The word “queer” is often used to describe people who do not fit into the categories of cisgender or heterosexual. It has been reclaimed since the 1970s or 1980s and is now used neutrally or positively. Despite this, the idea persists that queer people are not “real men” or “real women” because of their attraction or identity. Men may be seen as too “feminine,” and women may be seen as too “masculine,” with society expecting them to leave certain roles to “real men” or “real women.” Many people have worked to change these views by performing tasks traditionally associated with the opposite gender and proving that anyone, regardless of gender, can excel in any role.
…
The first time I remember hearing about LGBTQ+ people was when gay marriage was legalized in the United States. My family reacted negatively, even though they had always told me that people had the right to love whomever they wanted. As I grew older, I saw news stories about LGBTQ+ people living their lives and getting hurt for it. This hurt me because I knew there was something different about me too. It was not until a friend told me to look up the word “queer” that everything started to make sense. If he had not asked me to do this on a school computer, it would have taken me much longer to figure out that there was nothing wrong with me. However, I could not share this discovery with my family, as they opposed anything that was not “normal” or “perfect” in the eyes of their religion.

I've had many people and friends tell me that they could tell English was not my first language. I would always take this sort of as an insult because for YEARS I've tried to mimic English in every way shape and form. I would ask people in high school what gave it away and they would, most of the time, never give me a straight answer. I fully believe it's because I, even after 16-17ish years of speaking it, I still mix words up, and speak them in the wrong order. I think I also pronounce every single letter in a word. Until someone gives me an answer, I'll never know what exactly gives it away.