We talked for a few minutes. She told me that she’d had a plan to join the Navy out of high school, but that fell apart because her knees were bad. She told me that she’d just finished working a 12 hour shift on a food truck. She told me that she’d moved to New York for no reason, just to get out of Kansas. “But I’m so glad I came,” she said.
“Why’s that?” I asked. Her eyes began to water.
“Because I’m so in love with a girl right now.”
As someone who identifies as queer and is a teacher, I decided not to come out to my students. I didn’t have a permanent position at my school, and before being known as the gay teacher, I wanted to be known as a great teacher before being known just for my sexual orientation.
I was also the assistant coach of my school’s speech and debate team. At one tournament, a student from another school did a dramatic piece about a drag queen, during which one scene really had a strong effect on me. I pulled him aside, and told him I had a transgender girlfriend whom I loved very much and thanked him for bringing some of these issues to the forefront.
Last night, this student messaged me, asking me about the transgender community and a friend he had who was transitioning. He asked me about sexuality, about hormones, about my experience. In that moment, I realized that being known as the gay teacher would be a privilege, something that I could use to help students at my own school.
If I am offered a full-time position at my school, I will come out as a member of the LGBT community to my students so that they will know they can use me as a resource, a confidant, and a friend in regards to LGBT issues.
I will be the gay teacher, and I will be proud.
to me she is a woman already
she is my girl who I cover with kisses
who is sexy to me no matter
i love this poem so much because it describes exactly how i feel
I love you, and I miss you all the time, and I wish every day that you would come back to me. Please come back to me.
