"I am finally coming to terms with who I really am...a secret I have
kept for many years..I am going to be free NOW so all of you can know that I am
a lesbian in a wonderful relationship for a year after being married for over
20 years and single and alone for 20 yrs."
Today
one of my teachers came out. She said she's been in a loving relationship
for about a year now and someone gave her the courage to share it online this
afternoon. I have a lot of respect for her as a person, regardless of her
sexual orientation, because she is a great person and an excellent
teacher. She was one of my favorites throughout my high school
career. In fact, I kept in contact with her after I graduated and I
continue to do so. We've had lunches, dinners, have gone to movies, made
dinner at her house, shared stories, pictures, laughs, hugs and memories.
It was weird to me to hear that a lot of students over the years didn't like
or were afraid of her. My mom, aunt, uncle, various cousins, brother and
sister have all had her during the span of 42 years. She has seen many
students in and out of that front door. I started hearing these stories
as a middle school student. Kids have passed down the stories from one
class to another saying don't have her as a teacher because she is mean.
I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and/or a chance before I make
up my mind about them. I walked into her "SHAPE" (basically
study hall) class at the beginning of the trimester and sat down. I
remember having a French braided hair and we were dressed up for basketball
game that evening. All those stories I heard from people swirled around
in my head. I was hoping she wasn't mean to us. I sat there while she called roll. She read out my name and I said here. She complimented on my hair and asked if my
mom did it. I told her yes, then she
added if my mom was so and so. I told her
yes. She smiled. At that point, I wasn’t scared of her
anymore.
From there, I felt that I needed to befriend her, give her a chance unlike
other students in the past. She looked
like she needed some joy in her life. I
talked to her after school, told her stories, invited her to football and
basketball games, I was her TA for a few years; it was just fun getting to know
this person and I am glad I did.
When she saw that I found out about her recent life changing moment, she was
terrified that I would hate her. She was actually crying while she
wrote me another message thanking me for accepting who she is and not what she
is. I will need to go and visit her sometime in the near future just to
tell her how I feel about it. I think that would make her happy to know I
am on board and never judged her. I
kinda always had this feeling she was but I didn’t ask because it was hers to
share when she was ready to. I am happy
she did.
What she doesn't know is, me being a straight person, have many bisexual and
lesbian friends from college. And that I am friends with them still to
this very day. I even have a friend I hang out with who had just recently
got married to her girlfriend a few weeks ago, we go to Storm games
together. I’ve learned a lot about that lifestyle just by hanging out
with her and her now wife. I continue to
learn a little more every time I hang out with them. You’re
not going to catch something or turn into one by hanging out with gay people;
they are just living their lives to the fullest, just as everyone else should.
I am happy that she will never be alone again and that she is happy.
She is indeed, legendary, a teacher, a friend, a co-worker and an icon in our little
community.
Thank you for having the courage to share your secret with us.
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