Essay on my personal journey
My life has been characterized by constant struggles against various hurdles. It is a difficult world to adapt to in normal circumstances, but it is an altogether different story for people with different ways and traits. The world seeks the segregation and differentiation at all levels; it is nobody’s fault, however, as the world demands competition and struggle for survival the fittest. The identification of people within various groups gives them the hope and means to survive the realities of this world. While unity of purpose is a good thing, it is used to a detriment when people unite against others they perceive as different. I grew up in Puerto Rico in a small conservative community. Everyone knew everyone else in the community. Growing up, I experienced a normal childhood, often playing with my sister, a scold from my mum, and all the joys of childhood. At puberty, I developed into a young teenager, full of life and dreams. I focused on my education where computers always fascinated me. I could not stop thinking of how computers generated all the amazing content available on the internet. I was lucky to interact with computers at that tender age.
My social life was going on as would of any other boy my age. However, I could not decipher what the other boys meant when they insinuated to have a liking for girls. Talk revolving around girls was always repulsive to me, and often I found myself alone when such talk was initiated. Being from a conservative background, meant that we were grounded in strong religious and moral standing. I was relieved that girls found me fascinating and organized which baffled my peers and saved me from undue scrutiny. At seventeen, however, I realized something was different about me from the other boys. I had attempted to be in heterosexual relationships, but they never held appeal to me. I could not understand why I never felt the same attraction as reported by the other boys. I could not imagine the possibility of my being gay, it was a travesty, an abomination, and unnatural thing from the background I come from. Puerto Rican gay laws do not allow for same sex relationships, save my religious background.
My relocation to Boston marked the genesis of my realization as a same sex aligned individual. It was here that I learnt it was all right to be different. I had never felt such sense of belonging as I did here. People realize that they cannot change the way nature intends things to be. I joined a support group where people of ‘different’ sexual orientations gather for moral support and insights. At this group, I fell in love with my current boyfriend with whom we moved in. I realized the futility of support groups. It was only through an individual’s complete acceptance of himself or herself as unique and different that they can be truly liberated. I decided to embark on a journey of self-acceptance by revealing my orientation to many of my friends. The girls are admittedly liberal with their thinking; the boys are reserved in their reception. Boys have the fear that they might be subject to advances from gay boys, however, this misconception is ill advised, as a gay individual is so from their natural orientation, and not by culturing. I gather courage from my boyfriend who encourages me towards my dream of becoming a graphic designer one-day.
While my sexuality has been a drawback in terms of motivation and self-esteem, the journey towards self-acceptance and respect is my aim for all individuals of alternate sexuality. I have managed to instill a sense of acceptance among some of my friends in a support group, to come out with their real sexuality in order to experience the fullness of life. The bold step of informing my sister of my sexuality motivated me towards encouraging similar action. My fears that she would hate/ abandon me after finding out about my sexuality proved wrong. While the society is still a long way in accepting people of similar orientation as mine, I am positive that they will achieve a level of acceptance displayed by majority of my friends here in campus, and embrace me and other individual maligned because of their sexual orientation.
Works cited:
Haven, K. F. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.
Organization - The five features of effective writing. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/few/683
