Growing Up Gay in Indiana
Childhood / Junior High Growing up, there was a narrative that I heard time and time again. It began with the damsel in distress story. Then it continued as my older cousins married opposite-sex partners. As I started adolescence, my mom constantly reminded me she expected me to go to college, find the right man, and have her grandchildren. As a child, all of this made sense because of heteronormativity . I was attracted to boys, yet a certain part of me wanted to object to these notions placed upon me by my family and society . The idea of going to prom with or getting married to some man made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it was what the world expected of me. I don’t remember the exact moment when I realized that I liked girls, but I believe I was born the way I am. I do remember having some feelings toward the opposite sex as early as 6th grade, but I repressed them. They were just girl crushes, I told myself, and everyone has girl crushes. In the sm
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