I grew up in a small town, within a relatively conservative school and family environment that was often not inclusive of minorities. The attitudes, language, and opinions expressed made it an unsafe environment for me to acknowledge that I was queer and share that with my friends or family until several years after I moved away from home, and had established myself independently. It was a tough journey at times, and I remember the initial fears I had about coming out – fear of rejection, losing family or friends I loved, people thinking of me differently, loneliness and isolation, among many others.
What I didn’t realize at the time was how empowering coming out would be. While there were lots of bumps along the road and it was a difficult process, coming out led to deeper, more authentic relationships with my friends and family - especially those I was most worried about! I also realized (after a bit of therapy and lots of self-reflection) the gifts I received from growing up as a queer kid in an environment that wasn’t all that inclusive: a sense of resilience, commitment to action to better our society, and a dedication to my current research and professional work that focuses on eliminating barriers and creating safe educational environments for marginalized communities.
I’m happy to be part of a community at Centennial that celebrates the strength and beauty of diversity, and know that we can keep supporting each other in where we’re at in navigating our individual journeys.