LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Student CAMP: The Questions of High Schoolers |
by Kristen Minor |
Twice a year the rainbow alliance at my school heads over to the local high school to talk to the tenth grade health classes about growing up not straight. This is one of my favorite events of the yeara group of us introduce ourselves and then we field questions. This year we had the class write down questions beforehand, as well, so that the first five minutes weren't filled with unspeakable awkwardness. (So...when did you figure out that you were...um...gay?)
The following are actual questions that we were asked. Of course we answered them all in complete seriousness. For the purposes of this column, however, I shall relate the answers that I would have liked to give. What should heterosexual people know about you? That if they know any single lesbian geeks from 18-24 they should send them my way. When did you figure out you were different from the majority of other people? In the fifth grade, when I wasn't the tallest person in the class anymore and everyone just kept on growing and growing and I was still five two. This took years to accept. What's the hardest part about homosexual tendencies? Making women I am attracted to have them. Do you play hockey? No! Although I feel that you are attempting to ask us if many of us play sports! And saying that perhaps there are lots of lesbian athletes! Why yes, yes there are! But there's no reason to yell about it! Are your parents supportive? They don't need to be. Playtex 18 hours give me all the support that I desire. Basically, how many sports do you play a lot? Okay, we admit it. Insidious homosexuals have invaded every sports team known to mankind just to watch you shower. How did you become what you are? When a man and a woman love each other very much sometimes a stork will... geez, what kind of health class is this? How did you first realize you're gay? There was this whole thing where I was persistently attracted towards women. Do people at Dartmouth (teachers, students) look at you differently? How do you deal with this? It's actually a little known fact that the school nondiscrimination policy requires that every known homosexual be looked at whilst the observer's head is at a 45 degree angle. More people are suspended for failing to do this than for academic dishonesty, but one must be a registered homosexual with the college before it can be enforced. What made you believe that you were bi-sectual? I couldn't decide between Jesus and Buddah; embracing both was my only option. What are some reactions you've gotten from people? Many people inform me that they already knew. This is always a disappointing reaction, so I try to tell them that I'm also a cannibalistic serial killer to see if I can get a rise out of them. Sometimes you have to take this to an extreme; I've lost a lot of friends. No, literally. Do you guyz or galz ever get made fun of? Not as much as you will be for that spelling. Do you guyz or galz have homosexual sex? Not nearly enough. As you can see, high schools are teeming with youth who are curious about sexual orientation. I have to admit that I am grateful for the chance to get into the schoolsif nothing else, the questions were sincere and we answered in kind. I would have loved to have a discussion like that in my health classwe only mentioned homosexuality when we got to AIDS, and even that was a brief mention. The smallest things undercut the loneliness and isolation that I felt at the time, and I'd like to think that my peers might have even learned something from listening to people tell their stories about growing up queer. Sure enough, the day after the panel we received an email from one of the students we talked to. She said that it was good to know that she wasn't alone, and that it was hard not to laugh when the rest of her class said that they didn't know any gay people. I know what you mean, kid. Kristen Minor is a member of the class of 2004 at Dartmouth College, where it snowed April 25th. She is considering moving to a place where that never happens. Email: Kristen@youth-guard.org. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No. 4, May 2, 2003. |