73 y/o gay man. Your video is inspiring. Wish I had the benefit of watching it when I was 16. It would have made life easier. But it was a different time .... 60 years ago. I admire you and your family and friends.
Wow, I am so amazed that your father said "I finally feel like I have a son" after you came out to him. I'm glad that you two were able to share such an experience like that with each other.
Your video was really encouraging. My family is also religious, and I found that my being gay didn't go down well with them at all. 2 years later, they still hate it. You are very blessed to have a family who can accept you for who you are :) Very blessed indeed
I just cry a lot and feel really sad because I see people that have a supportive family that accepts them for who they are and they don't have to run away to be themselves and they can just go on with their life, and I'll never be able to have that... :'(
If you feel strongly about them responding negatively, I would wait to tell them until you are independent. I cannot imagine what you are going through but know that someday they will know the real you. No matter how they react, respond with continually loving them. This will let them see that you haven't changed and have always been the same person that they've come to love.
All the power in the world to you man. I was in the same position. It was horrible and it nearly ruined my childhood. I'm happy for everyone that doesn't have to go through what I did.
Yours is a great story for young, gay Christians to hear. I am putting this on my "Coming Out As Gay" TH-cam Playlist. I am glad that so many people have seen your story, and I hope that many of them are either experiencing what you have done or have kin who are experiencing it. The change in your sister's attitudes toward others just shows that Harvey Milk was so right about the impact that one's coming out can have on other people.
Grant, you have many people who love you and we would love hear an update about how your life has been since you shared your beautiful coming out story.Please Grant have mercy on your many fans and speak with us!
My son came out to me and he cried so hard before we talked I said "my love (that's what I always called him) what is wrong? He said Dad I got something to tell you, I said what can be so wrong that you're crying this hard? He said daddy I'm gay, I said so what's the bad news? He said crying and laughing at the same time that's the bad news!!?? I said just make sure he is worthy of your love!!! He hugged me, then. I cried because he had this burden of his shoulder!!! Now My husband and I are planning his wedding, we both love his other half!!! I hope his mother will come she is not happy with me cause I came out to her and she just packed and left!!! Oh well!! The young man in the video should be a motivation speaker to other young gay teens!!!!! Thanks for reading my story!!!! Everybody stay PROUD AND HAPPY!!!!
What an awesome response from your father. Love makes *all* the difference and determines whether this process (coming out) is a positive thing or an absolute tragedy.
Apparently you made this video a long time ago (I'm commenting in 2021), so I hope things for you are still going well. Very mature, and honest video...very brave young man...articulate as well. Good luck to you!
Hey Grant..many many Kilometres away in Australia I share the ache … but have been doing so for much longer. My generation did not approach parents with anything deep and personal, so I suffered and lived with guilt and self hate for decades. My family on both sides are religious but, thankfully, more Christian than religious. I married (sincerely) and had 3 kids, but had to sit on my real self very hard. My wife and I split and I brought up the kids. Then, it all came out by accidental discovery of phone messages. The most understanding were my sisters and Mum. My brothers/ nephews and some close friends were not. I am a Christian and I know fully that God loves me. So many strange happenings have told me this. But, I am also a teacher and in the Defence Force so I have to continue to hide inside in these aspects of my life. Having a partner to love and cherish is out of the question. Your story comes from a beautiful heart and you are not any kind of accidental birth. God's love is unconditional - he says so. Unfortunately there are those who think that they know more than God does and judge others through hate and bigotry. God gave me an extraordinary depth of caring for everyone and that has absorbed my life and given me much joy. My sexuality is not important in comparison. Know that you are much loved, Grant.
You have me speechless. The amount of strength you have is unreal. It was shown through all those years of heartache. I hope you eventually have peace with those who turned you down in the beginning. My heart goes out! xx
I'm happy for ya! I think you handled the whole situation rather smoothly and it seems to have worked out. I support the cause and all that kinda stuff.
Grant, I recognize you as a great person. I was a very religious person. I now recognize that the church indoctrinated me. I am very sympathetic for those people who are of the church. Yet, through the help of you, and perhaps rather natural inhalents, I have realized that you cannot change the fact of how you are. I am gay, I hold to Christian morals mostly, being that your story is so similar to mine, I declare you as a great example. I honor you. My name is Rudy by the way. I say that you are someone I look to as a reference. I grew up in the South. I have been through a lot. I'm thankful that you made this video. God bless!
You did the right thing by coming out. At the same time of my life, I didn't, and over the years it almost self destructed me. The fear, anger and self hate turned into self destructive behaviours and in the end I came out, but like you said, "IT could have been so much better". I'm glad to see it worked out so good for you! Your amazing.
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"Jesus can change gays into heterosexuals" proclaimed the ex-gay ministries for 40 years, but this year leaders with the official records admitted nobody had changed from homosexual to heterosexual. Both Exodus International and Love in Action apologized to gays and shut down.
Grant, you gave one of the most heartfelt stories I have seen on youtube. You are a wonderful young man, who is no different from the wonderful young man you were before your family knew you were gay. Your eyes and words show the pain you have suffered, even some from yourself. You are a beautiful young man with a wonderful heart and I wish you the very best in the future. Somehow, I know you will have a great future. You are loving, humble and truthful. God still loves you as always!
My family is Catholic but we are loving and not judgmental. We have Catholic gay couples in our family. My cousin came out to his parents (my uncle and aunt) about 12 years ago. But he still hasn't accepted himself as much as we have. As I am writing this I am tearing up. Our whole family has been trying reach out without actually making him feel overwhelmed. His mother has saved him twice from attempt suicide . Once we even lost him and were calling family to family trying to find him. His father (my uncle ) has cancer now. And its taking a tole on him. Im just venting because Idk who to talk to. I always worry about him. We don't know what to do anymore. He's in therapy and is on medication. We have done so much to try to help. Our Catholic family believes that God creates you the way that he knows is perfect. Being gay is part of that. I wish he could see how that he isnt that different then the rest of us. And he isnt loved any less. He is still masculine, and his sexuality doesnt change that. But I feel like he doesnt see that. We constantly remind him how much he is loved in our family. But I don't feel like that matters to him anymore. It hurts me. Im constantly scared that one day Id loose him. I wish he would look and see how happy our uncles and cousins are, that have accepted themselves and are married and living with their husbands.
Thank you so much for posting this! I am on the brink of coming out to my dad and this made me cry like halfway through! I am so happy that it worked out for you. Just like you I was raised Catholic- so I think it is going to be difficult. I don't think it will surprise my dad- but I'm not sure. Thanks for posting- this has inspired me.
I'm Gay and Catholic too, Grant. I'm still trying to figure it all out. I Came Out to my Catholic parents too. Momma already knew and she told my dad 3 months before I Came Out to them. They love me no matter what; I'm their son.
Your story is an inspiration for many; there is nothing wrong with being who you are, life is short so be happy and cherish every moment. I’m not religious but no ecumenical teaching preaches to not be who you are, live your life proud and happy. Religion is anthropomorphic, we are here only once and must cherish every moment.
You are a beautiful person in every sense of the word. There aren't enough words to express how happy I am for your relationship with your dad; I think I love that man. What a truly wonderful way to tell your son you love him!! Congratulations to you both for opening up to each other. I wish you both a long and love-filled life. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. I'm sure that, through you, your dad has saved many lives. Love you both!
Wow-- my situation is almost the same as yours. My dad is actually a pastor, but when I came out to him he actually took it really well. And I came out the same day you posted your video, Lol.
Dads are underestimated. How often haven't we heard that in real life dads are more accepting than mothers? My dad stood behind me and supported me ever since he found out, when I was 20 years old. My relationship with my dad was never bad, but it grew so much stronger after I came out to him. He actually became a much greater dad in general after I came out. My mother freaked out. My parents were very active Lutheran protestant chuch people. I was in the Royal Garde at that time and not living at home, so she was all in his hands. It took him four years to turn her around, but she came out wonderfully. I was 33 when my dad died and 36 when my mother died. I miss them very much. I wish they had lived to meet my partner/husband, with whom I have been together with for 21 years now. They would have loved him unconditionally and it would have been mutual.
Thank you for that sincere talk. I can relate to this exactly. God bless you and I am convinced that you are loved by Him as much as any of the others of us believers.
@@granttwilliam Hope you are still doing well now, this video has helped a lot of people, you are amazing. Maybe you could come back sometime and do a new update video
Thank you for sharing your story. I'm positive it will help other's! I wish you the very best and always talk with someone if you are feeling down or depressed. You have a lot to offer and you do make a huge difference in the lives you touch.
I never had friends in high school, you and I have a lot in common. I never got invited to parties, I always sit at the lunch table by myself and I struggle a lot. I cried a lot but try to keep up, I wish I was there for you we would been really goof friends, please take care!
Always remember that being gay isn't wrong at all, if god didn't want people to be gay he wouldn't let 'gay' be created if that makes sense god allows people to be gay he created it in a way so he would never hate you or any one else that's gay, I'm not gay or anything like that I just have a strong opinion that there's nothing wrong with it :) xxxxx
Our God has not, nor will he ever, make mistakes. He is all knowing and all seeing. HE MADE YOU AND YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE. He made you in his image and I am so glad you are no longer ashamed of who he made in you! I am a christian mom as well and I believe in Him with all my heart. God bless you baby.
Fortunately there have been many Biblical scholars that have studied the Bible, the times, languages and translations that have explained what was actually meant in the scriptures, what was lost or changed in translations etc. It is all available with a mere google of "Christianity and Homosexuality". It has been very helpful to many gay people who grew up in the church believing they were damned to hell. You are a very brave and obviously good-hearted young man.
This is like my favorite video on the web, I am in tears about your story!! As weird as it is I had to "come out" as Catholic to my atheist/agnostic parents, and I have a friend who has two moms, and she's not religious cause she thinks religion "doesn't want [her] parents to be happy." Your dad should be a saint...!!! I have a question... what do you plan on doing about it? Do you have a boyfriend? What is your stance on gay marriage? I need help convincing people that "the Church isn't that bad"!!!!! Your story is so inspirational, God bless you
It was so weird watching you today Grant.....first off.... thank you fk sharing ......I saw in you what I saw in myself 15 years ago when I came our ....my parents were the reason I held back as long as I did.....my parents just needed time to absorb everything....I really hope your journey is a smooth one and that you get as much support as possible.
My life hasn't been probably what you think it has... I have gone through a few health struggles that have held me back the last 5 years (don't worry, they don't involve STDs or drug addiction). But, mentally, I feel I am starting to come out on the other side of it. At times, I feel like life throws us too many boulders. But we just have to keep doing our best to push through it. (:
@@granttwilliam my life seemed very calm when I was 12, but God let me know that by the time I would be in my early 20’s that my life would begin to be very stressful and chaotic. So I just kept going to church, praying and just enjoying the temporary calmness. By the time I was 24 the chaos in my mind began, but I also had accompanying angels helping and giving me strength. My parents taught me very well to persevere (to just keep trying the best that I can) so I just kept enduring my difficulties. Over the next 50 years I’ve had only 4 respites from my difficulties (2 resulting from legal medicines and 2 resulting from miracles). Those respites sometimes lasted a few years, some lasted but several weeks but all were a gift from God to bolster my strength to continue enduring. I’ve also helped others by showing them how to endure and keep trying through very difficult times. In the end God’s love for us will prevail if you trust in Him and just keep loving Him and others. Just keep being honest with yourself and your loved ones, and seek help from others when it’s really needed.
Hello Grant. Thank you for your story. As a 60 year old gay man who didn't come out until I was 38, I can tell you that it is better to come out when you are younger. I struggle with my internalized homophobia still 22 years later. I don't hate myself as much as I use to, but there are times when the self-loathing raises its ugly head. I started mental health therapy when I was 57, and it has helped immensely. I strongly urge you, and everyone else, gay or straight and everything in between to find a therapist that works for you and talk with them. I started out at twice a week and now on an "as needed" basis. I wish you happiness in your life.
I am a couple years older than you and i have to say that my story is about the same as yours. Unfortunately I have not been able to tell my parents due to them constantly expressing how much they hate gays and how they think it is disgusting and wrong. So I must wait to be out on my own.Your story really touched me because I am too religious as are my parents and I used to do the same thing and look at the stars and think the same thoughts. Thank you for sharing and giving people like me hope.
Good to hear your story, and that you feel better! :) Coming out is a big relief from the depression, paranoia, repression, and self-hatred you describe (I remember it all too). When you stop hiding a big part of yourself, at least with those you're close with and loving, it can only get better. As a fellow young, gay Catholic, though, I want to say that part of the problem in our situation is confusing "being gay" with the *physical acts* that are condemned by the Church. Nobody goes to Hell for their sexual orientation (attractions). What matters is our behaviour and chastity (which we do have a choice about). And if we happen to fall while trying our best to live the way God asks us to live, there is always Confession (such a precious gift!). Just looking out for a fellow gay brother in Christ, and hoping you stay with the Church and her teachings. If you ever wanna talk more, message me. Prayers, and God bless you!
I crushed on a boy in second grade. In fourth grade I was gravely ill and when I survived I became very religious (Catholic). My father had prayed that he would go back to Mass if I recovered. I did, he did. I told my mom, dad and two of my sisters at 16. I heard no word from Dad. Mom made a visit for me to see a psychiatrist. Younger sister said “I hope not” .that was it. But I was a very religious Catholic, molested at 13, suffered from that to this day. Went to seminary, left, acted out, then eventually after.5 years of that I had religious experiences and was on a seesaw for years: acting out promiscuously, confession, REPEAT AD NAUSEUM and I mean ad nauseum. Married a wonderful woman, 4 children, after 20 years divorced; eldest son died, years later my ex died, a few years later my youngest son died. 3 dear people. Today I have my two daughters, one with 4 the other with 7 grand-children. It’s not a simple story. A lot of trials and tribulations not just for me but for the wife/mother and children. I can not regret my children and 11 grandchildren and all their posterity, God willing, which will ensue. I’m still on the seesaw: God vs. my memory of lustful promiscuity. Can’t act out anymore. I don’t know if you will read this but you are lovable and I love you. God bless.
Hi Grant, great video, so pleased for you that your family accept you. There are so many in the Catholic Church who judge, they make life hell for others. Be true to yourself Bro and those Catholics who know and love you will accept you if they don't then it is their problem not yours. God bless you x
That part you said about cheering the lady on definitely hit home. It's weird looking back at how my attitudes on this used to be compared to now that I'm more accepting of who I am.
It makes me sick if I think about it too much. At least we grew and learned, whereas many others do not care to call out their own bigotry. What sad, judgmental lives those people lead.
@@granttwilliam ay thanks for replying! I've come out to my friends and they accepted it (almost accepted it more than me in a weird way) but I'm still holding off on telling my family but your video and some of these other videos I'm watching are building me up to do it
You amazingly sweet, articulate, and (wow) handsome guy: it is now five years later, and I hope everything has gotten much easier for you now that you're in adulthood. High School was not kind to me, so I feel like if you made it through that, your gonna do great. Thanks for sharing your story.
Bless you and i hope all is well with you. This is 2020 and your Your love and compassion for others shown by making this video is still so meaningfull.
That was almost a decade ago. The Catholic Church does not tolerate homophobia. Our parish has a thriving LGBTQ+ ministry -- i.e. approved by the Bishop and the Monsignor. We have a generous budget from the Church, participate in events and sponsor events. Our rainbow flag proudly flies at events. We have outreach programs for homeless LGBTQ+, etc. I could go on. If anyone has problems then talk to your parish Priest or your dioceses' Bishop.
When I came out, my dad admitted that when he was in the service he did it with a guy one night said it was ok but it wasn't what he wanted but he could understand if it was what I wanted. He'll never know just what that meant to me. I did it with a girl one night it was ok but it's not what wanted.
WOW ... GREAT VID. Thanks for sharing "blonddude!" ... Our stories have many similarities. I was raised VERY religious as well. Started out DEVOUT Catholic (even prayed the rosary by myself in junior and senior high, and frequently skipped school to walk 5 miles into the countryside to lay at the foot of a cross in the middle of a farmers field.) then I "graduated" to Evangelical-ism (Christian-Taliban, as I call em) - THEN I came of age and engaged my brain and realized God made me this way
How are you doing. It's been a couple of years since you made this Video. I hope you and your Mom are closer now and it was great to hear your Father accept you unconditionally. I never came out to my Parents. My Mom died when I was 16 and my Father was one of those macho types that scared me. Just remember God is a very compassionate being and I know he forgives me and he will you too. I was raised catholic, went to Catholic School so you can see it wasn't fun for me. Good luck in your life, I hope you have found someone and you came live the way you want.
What a great confessional story! I wish I would of seen this earlier. Any updates on your life or other links that you have? I'd like to support you on your journey.
Hey Grant, that was such a heartfelt video about coming out. You are an inspiration to more young gays than you know. Thanks for doing such a wonderful video and sharing such a personal life story with others. I am sure that are a fine young man and you will have an amazing future.
You are not alone & know that it takes more than courage to come out & tell everybody your secrets about yourself. I am proud of what you have done & have accomplished. Keep your chin up, little bros! God is with you surely & someone special will come your way & fill your needs. I know this to be true, cause you are intelligent, manly, honest, caring, funny & your holy spirit shines so brightly. But most of all, your are gorgeous inside & even more on the outside. God will not abandon you !
Grant,I think I can help you and anyone else here who is Catholic. There is a document from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops titled "Always Our Children." It is a pastoral letter to parents of GBLT youth and is an amazing read. It is a real short document- just a few pages, really. The first half is a bit dry, but the last half is wonderful. Well worth your time. May God keep you safe and protect you.
Praise the Lord for your sharing your experiences. You’re very brave. Just be happy and positive. Remember to be yourself and ignore the ignorance of others judging you. Their negativity is THEIRS and its up to you to avoid them, at all costs!!! (My mom is Catholic and my dad is Jewish.). None of us have it easy to “come out”. God’s blessings and many positive vibes to you. Have a great life, young man!!!
I come from a long line of Italian Catholics. I lived my life to make everyone else happy. I couldn't take it any more and just came out! A bigger bunch of hypocrites would be hard to find. I am the same person I was before coming out but no one except one family member saw that. The one family member, a first cousin is a CATHOLIC NUN! In her words "God made all his children in his image and the ones who damn you will be the first to be judged by him." AMEN!
You remind me of Even Peters. I was extremly lucky that my coming out story went VERY well. But having liberal parents didnt hurt. My mom fully embraced me right away. if youve ever seen the 2000 version of queer as folk, my mom was Debbie. To a T. took my father a little longer to accept me but when he did he said i love you no matter what (he NEVER says i love you and has said it maybe 5 times in 43 years).
It's a shame you haven't kept up with posting video's.....I'm an elder in our community and for some reason I watched a 'coming out' video years ago and ever since TH-cam's algorithms keep sending me 'coming out' stories...today it was yours...When I was your age being gay was still against the law in every country...so I've seen alot of changes....It is my goal, and hopefully I'll see this before I get 'chucked into the furnace' that no one in our community will ever have to 'come out'....That everyone accepts all people have the right to love and be loved. Our main hurdle, as you well know, is organized religion.....and I make this comment not to offend but to educate.....Organized religion tells people we are wrong...and society as a whole believes this, if they are religious or not. Where people have to start experiencing their lives from is the understanding that everyone's basic human right to be free from religion [must] come before religions legal right to freedom of religion. I have no problem with one believing in what they want to.....I do have a problem with someone generating hatred, intolerance or bigotry toward something different from what they believe. I've got to say - it took a shit load of 'guts' to do what you did..and luckily your folks didn't cart you off to 'Conversion Therapy'....You are an incredibly brave young man and an 'icon' for our community....I'm sure there are thousands of young men and woman who will find strength in your experience. Thank you for sharing.....
Awesome! Very happy for you. My parents were very religious also and my mom had said some horrible things about gays, which made it very hard for me to be me and come out. And it was not good when I did. But am happy for those whom their parents accept. Very happy for you.
If you're not likely to get kicked out don't delay coming out to your parents. This is a time that you need them and precious days not to waste. Expect it to take some time for them to get used to it.
This is such a coincidence. I’m gay and catholic, I’m still in the process of confirmation. Another thing is I’m crushing on a guy that’s part of it lol. There’s such little chance that he’ll like me back because he’s catholic. +he’s 15/16 I’m 14
There are parallels between us, haha. -- The guy that I always liked grew up with me in the church and at school. He was the guy I mentioned in the video. I never got to tell him how I felt because I didn't want things to be weird with him if he turned out to be straight. Looking back, I would have thought more about telling him, especially since I was moving across the country right after hs graduation. -- I always had a feeling that he was gay. To this day, he's never publicly had a girlfriend; which is crazy since he is very good-looking. He was every girl's dream in hs. I was quite a shy kid growing up. I didn't get a lot of attention from others at school. But he was always someone who valued me and would want to talk to me. Maybe he just wanted me to feel included? Anyways... One time, we went ice skating with two other girls. I didn't know how to skate and it was obviously cold. So he took off his jacket, put it around me. He then embraced me from behind as he skated me around the rink. In my head, I was like, "This feels so right." Haha. But I also got to thinking, "I could not picture him doing this to another guy in our friend group." Maybe that's a stretch... but either way, it was funny because I didn't know how to skate at all. Then when he drove me home, we got to talking about our futures. I told him I was getting out of town for good, was excited for the unknown, and did not care to have kids. Whereas when I asked him, he said that he was looking forward to starting a family and having kids of his own one day. With that, I assumed that he meant with a woman. And I just remember getting all quiet after hearing him say that. He was very religious like I was. So, I do still think about him; hoping he's not hiding in the closet still, if he is actually gay. Maybe he is straight; who knows. But being older now, I do regret that I wasn't open enough to the possibility of letting him know how he made me feel. -- If I were you, I would hold off and really think about it. Maybe wait for more signals before telling him how you feel. With my guy, I did not have enough signals to risk our friendship being over. Unfortunately as you know, a lot of times when we like someone, we mistake their friendly behavior for something more. Then we just get caught up in the cycle of crushing on them without knowing if the feelings are mutual. Which more often than not, are not reciprocated. But nowadays, I find it scarier to not say how you feel and just let life pass you by. Let me know how things go and thanks for reading my cringey memories haha.
Grant Wow, I was really hoping you’d respond and you did :) Thanks for sharing, whenever I’m with him I just feel like he’s attracted to me... that eye contact. He won’t take his eyes off me, kinda a flirt tbh lmao. He compliments me on things. He wants to make me feel comfortable around him I guess. I do see his pupils dilate when he’s making eye contact with me so I look attractive to him. I think I might get his # next time I see him and ask to hang out sometime. Then I’ll tell him, it’s not like we’re close or anything so it’s ok
@@Benzyl_Penoxide That makes me remember more now. Those eyes. You can tell in the eyes. We had that. -- You seem to have a lot going. Wishing you the best with your situation
@Grant I decided to give you an update. So the last time I saw him was over a month ago and there was never a next time I saw him sadly. This is due to the coronavirus. The earliest is August 20th and that’s 4 months from now. I don’t know if that’s worth waiting for...? Something I’m afraid of is getting too emotionally-attached to someone and then tell me that their not gay. It’d be hard to get over someone who you thought you could’ve been with for months. That almost happened with me with this boy that I’m friends with. I told him a few weeks ago that I liked him and he told me he wasn’t gay. I crushed on him for not that long so it was easy to get over him but with someone that I like for 5 months I feel like it’d be impossible. I’m sure more crushes will come along the way, hopefully.
Grant It’s been 6 months. I was re reading what you wrote and really resonated with it. I saw him again (August 19th) and it was the most alive I’ve felt in a while. It felt surreal, never thought that day would ever come. We hung out recently (texted him on instagram) but feel like I messed up... I hope that the next time I see him that I can ask him if he’s gay.
Hi Grant, Thanks for sharing your story as it was sensitive, thoughtful, and captivating. I wish you all the best, as it does get soooo much better. Although my story is similar to yours, after coming out I met my partner. We have now been together for 28 years, and recently got married (Minnesota). Thanks again as you seem like an awesome person ! ! !
Hey! Very good! I'm sure that after your coming out, you feel happier. I'm a religious teacher, and just 3 weeks ago one of my student confess to me that he is gay. After that, our conversation is more easy. No barrier at all. Wish you luck and success.
I totally agree with needing to rehearse saying the words "I'm gay", cos that was the hardest thing. I still find it difficult to say tbh, and I've been out for over 2 years
I think it's interesting that you brought up your voice, but before I even heard that, I think your voice is very nice. I went to a very religious school too. I finally dropped all the "God" stuff. I believe in a higher power, who isn't judgemental, misogynistic, hateful, exclusionary and homophobic. I hope you've found more peace.
5 years later and you’re still helping people with this video. Thank you from 2018!!! 🤗
Javier GM you have an Instagram
@@koaprather4002 i Have I.G. @ Robert Brolo.
Thank You from 2019
I'm glad this video was able to help
@@granttwilliam Is there a way that we can follow you on instagram or something?
Bless you, dear. I too grew up gay in a Catholic family. Painful, but it really does get better.
73 y/o gay man. Your video is inspiring. Wish I had the benefit of watching it when I was 16. It would have made life easier. But it was a different time .... 60 years ago. I admire you and your family and friends.
Wow, I am so amazed that your father said "I finally feel like I have a son" after you came out to him. I'm glad that you two were able to share such an experience like that with each other.
It's now 2019, and you are still helping people with this video. Thank you for sharing with us. You are fantastic!
Out of all the "Coming Out" stories I have watched, this is the most accurate, and truthful one I have listened to, Thanks for this.
Are you God, who are you to Judge, there are millions of people and some maybe not in your aspect of truthful....
Truthful ? What exactly does that mean ? Maybe “more akin to your personal experiences”, but how can any given experience be “not truthful” ? Weird.
Your video was really encouraging. My family is also religious, and I found that my being gay didn't go down well with them at all. 2 years later, they still hate it. You are very blessed to have a family who can accept you for who you are :) Very blessed indeed
Blood Doll ASMR did you hate your family
Blood Doll ASMR did you really hate your parents
I just cry a lot and feel really sad because I see people that have a supportive family that accepts them for who they are and they don't have to run away to be themselves and they can just go on with their life, and I'll never be able to have that... :'(
If you feel strongly about them responding negatively, I would wait to tell them until you are independent. I cannot imagine what you are going through but know that someday they will know the real you. No matter how they react, respond with continually loving them. This will let them see that you haven't changed and have always been the same person that they've come to love.
***** Thanks for the advice, Grant!
You will you will be ok don't put yourself down
I'm sorry @JoSalvador, nobody deserves that. 😢 I hope that in these years past your original post things have gotten better. 🤗
All the power in the world to you man. I was in the same position. It was horrible and it nearly ruined my childhood. I'm happy for everyone that doesn't have to go through what I did.
Yours is a great story for young, gay Christians to hear. I am putting this on my "Coming Out As Gay" TH-cam Playlist. I am glad that so many people have seen your story, and I hope that many of them are either experiencing what you have done or have kin who are experiencing it. The change in your sister's attitudes toward others just shows that Harvey Milk was so right about the impact that one's coming out can have on other people.
Being Gay isn't wrong. It's only the closest cases that think so. Enjoy and live your life. Hello in 2019
Very well said!!!!
I loved your Dad's response " I feel like I have a son now" - That's so amazing. Great video. More power to you.
Loved how authentic and thoughtful you were when you told your story. You seem like a great guy & I wish you a life of happiness. And a big hug.
Seriously...I just want to hug you.
Dont change anything dude, your you, your awesome be proud of who you are, you dont have to be anyone but your true self be proud of you !
Grant, you have many people who love you and we would love hear an update about how your life has been since you shared your beautiful coming out story.Please Grant have mercy on your many fans and speak with us!
My son came out to me and he cried so hard before we talked I said "my love (that's what I always called him) what is wrong? He said Dad I got something to tell you, I said what can be so wrong that you're crying this hard?
He said daddy I'm gay, I said so what's the bad news? He said crying and laughing at the same time that's the bad news!!??
I said just make sure he is worthy of your love!!! He hugged me, then. I cried because he had this burden of his shoulder!!!
Now My husband and I are planning his wedding, we both love his other half!!!
I hope his mother will come she is not happy with me cause I came out to her and she just packed and left!!! Oh well!!
The young man in the video should be a motivation speaker to other young gay teens!!!!!
Thanks for reading my story!!!!
Everybody stay PROUD AND HAPPY!!!!
What an awesome response from your father. Love makes *all* the difference and determines whether this process (coming out) is a positive thing or an absolute tragedy.
Proud of you man .. much love from Australia! x
(Take it easy now)
Apparently you made this video a long time ago (I'm commenting in 2021), so I hope things for you are still going well. Very mature, and honest video...very brave young man...articulate as well. Good luck to you!
This has to be the most inspiring coming out story I’ve heard. Thank you for sharing it. Really thank you.
Awh, that means a lot. I'm happy I could help. Thank you!
Hey Grant..many many Kilometres away in Australia I share the ache … but have been doing so for much longer. My generation did not approach parents with anything deep and personal, so I suffered and lived with guilt and self hate for decades. My family on both sides are religious but, thankfully, more Christian than religious. I married (sincerely) and had 3 kids, but had to sit on my real self very hard. My wife and I split and I brought up the kids. Then, it all came out by accidental discovery of phone messages. The most understanding were my sisters and Mum. My brothers/ nephews and some close friends were not.
I am a Christian and I know fully that God loves me. So many strange happenings have told me this. But, I am also a teacher and in the Defence Force so I have to continue to hide inside in these aspects of my life. Having a partner to love and cherish is out of the question. Your story comes from a beautiful heart and you are not any kind of accidental birth. God's love is unconditional - he says so. Unfortunately there are those who think that they know more than God does and judge others through hate and bigotry. God gave me an extraordinary depth of caring for everyone and that has absorbed my life and given me much joy. My sexuality is not important in comparison. Know that you are much loved, Grant.
You have me speechless. The amount of strength you have is unreal. It was shown through all those years of heartache. I hope you eventually have peace with those who turned you down in the beginning. My heart goes out! xx
your voice is masculine af, and you are a beautiful guy. love to you !
I'm happy for ya! I think you handled the whole situation rather smoothly and it seems to have worked out. I support the cause and all that kinda stuff.
Grant, I recognize you as a great person. I was a very religious person. I now recognize that the church indoctrinated me. I am very sympathetic for those people who are of the church. Yet, through the help of you, and perhaps rather natural inhalents, I have realized that you cannot change the fact of how you are. I am gay, I hold to Christian morals mostly, being that your story is so similar to mine, I declare you as a great example. I honor you. My name is Rudy by the way. I say that you are someone I look to as a reference. I grew up in the South. I have been through a lot. I'm thankful that you made this video. God bless!
You did the right thing by coming out. At the same time of my life, I didn't, and over the years it almost self destructed me. The fear, anger and self hate turned into self destructive behaviours and in the end I came out, but like you said, "IT could have been so much better". I'm glad to see it worked out so good for you! Your amazing.
"Jesus can change gays into heterosexuals" proclaimed the ex-gay ministries for 40 years, but this year leaders with the official records admitted nobody had changed from homosexual to heterosexual. Both Exodus International and Love in Action apologized to gays and shut down.
Grant, you gave one of the most heartfelt stories I have seen on youtube. You are a wonderful young man, who is no different from the wonderful young man you were before your family knew you were gay. Your eyes and words show the pain you have suffered, even some from yourself. You are a beautiful young man with a wonderful heart and I wish you the very best in the future. Somehow, I know you will have a great future. You are loving, humble and truthful. God still loves you as always!
My family is Catholic but we are loving and not judgmental. We have Catholic gay couples in our family. My cousin came out to his parents (my uncle and aunt) about 12 years ago. But he still hasn't accepted himself as much as we have. As I am writing this I am tearing up. Our whole family has been trying reach out without actually making him feel overwhelmed. His mother has saved him twice from attempt suicide . Once we even lost him and were calling family to family trying to find him. His father (my uncle ) has cancer now. And its taking a tole on him. Im just venting because Idk who to talk to. I always worry about him. We don't know what to do anymore. He's in therapy and is on medication. We have done so much to try to help. Our Catholic family believes that God creates you the way that he knows is perfect. Being gay is part of that. I wish he could see how that he isnt that different then the rest of us. And he isnt loved any less. He is still masculine, and his sexuality doesnt change that. But I feel like he doesnt see that. We constantly remind him how much he is loved in our family. But I don't feel like that matters to him anymore. It hurts me. Im constantly scared that one day Id loose him. I wish he would look and see how happy our uncles and cousins are, that have accepted themselves and are married and living with their husbands.
Thank you so much for posting this! I am on the brink of coming out to my dad and this made me cry like halfway through! I am so happy that it worked out for you. Just like you I was raised Catholic- so I think it is going to be difficult. I don't think it will surprise my dad- but I'm not sure. Thanks for posting- this has inspired me.
Please update me on how things go! Good luck with everything and if you need any advice, feel free to DM me.
Thanks again! Sundayis the day!
What a wonderful story. You are SO lucky to have such understanding parents !
I'm Gay and Catholic too, Grant. I'm still trying to figure it all out.
I Came Out to my Catholic parents too. Momma already knew and she told my dad 3 months before I Came Out to them. They love me no matter what; I'm their son.
Your story is an inspiration for many; there is nothing wrong with being who you are, life is short so be happy and cherish every moment. I’m not religious but no ecumenical teaching preaches to not be who you are, live your life proud and happy. Religion is anthropomorphic, we are here only once and must cherish every moment.
You are a beautiful person in every sense of the word. There aren't enough words to express how happy I am for your relationship with your dad; I think I love that man. What a truly wonderful way to tell your son you love him!! Congratulations to you both for opening up to each other. I wish you both a long and love-filled life. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. I'm sure that, through you, your dad has saved many lives. Love you both!
Wow-- my situation is almost the same as yours. My dad is actually a pastor, but when I came out to him he actually took it really well. And I came out the same day you posted your video, Lol.
Dads are underestimated. How often haven't we heard that in real life dads are more accepting than mothers?
My dad stood behind me and supported me ever since he found out, when I was 20 years old.
My relationship with my dad was never bad, but it grew so much stronger after I came out to him.
He actually became a much greater dad in general after I came out.
My mother freaked out. My parents were very active Lutheran protestant chuch people.
I was in the Royal Garde at that time and not living at home, so she was all in his hands.
It took him four years to turn her around, but she came out wonderfully.
I was 33 when my dad died and 36 when my mother died. I miss them very much.
I wish they had lived to meet my partner/husband, with whom I have been together with for 21 years now.
They would have loved him unconditionally and it would have been mutual.
Courageous boy. Good for you. Your community loves and supports you. Stay strong and may you find love, happiness, and personal fulfillment.
Thank you for that sincere talk. I can relate to this exactly. God bless you and I am convinced that you are loved by
Him as much as any of the others of us believers.
You are a lovely young man. It's nine years later. I am still wishing you tons of love and good health. ❤🌈🙏
I love this video so much. I respect you so much, and god loves you. Love is not a sin. Being gay isn't harming anyone or causing any problems.
Love ya
@@granttwilliam im Supporting you.
@@granttwilliam Hope you are still doing well now, this video has helped a lot of people, you are amazing. Maybe you could come back sometime and do a new update video
@@granttwilliam
Are u circimcised or forskln?
@@gregorymalchuk272 really @Gregory? Lol time & place...time & place.
Thank you for sharing your story. I'm positive it will help other's! I wish you the very best and always talk with someone if you are feeling down or depressed. You have a lot to offer and you do make a huge difference in the lives you touch.
I never had friends in high school, you and I have a lot in common.
I never got invited to parties, I always sit at the lunch table by myself and I struggle a lot. I cried a lot but try to keep up, I wish I was there for you we would been really goof friends, please take care!
Toad is a cool character😎
Always remember that being gay isn't wrong at all, if god didn't want people to be gay he wouldn't let 'gay' be created if that makes sense god allows people to be gay he created it in a way so he would never hate you or any one else that's gay, I'm not gay or anything like that I just have a strong opinion that there's nothing wrong with it :) xxxxx
100%.
It's all old beliefs and fear of the unknown.
Our God has not, nor will he ever, make mistakes. He is all knowing and all seeing. HE MADE YOU AND YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE. He made you in his image and I am so glad you are no longer ashamed of who he made in you! I am a christian mom as well and I believe in Him with all my heart. God bless you baby.
You loved your coming out story. I could not tell my parents. But we'll done buddy 😊 ❤
Fortunately there have been many Biblical scholars that have studied the Bible, the times, languages and translations that have explained what was actually meant in the scriptures, what was lost or changed in translations etc. It is all available with a mere google of "Christianity and Homosexuality". It has been very helpful to many gay people who grew up in the church believing they were damned to hell. You are a very brave and obviously good-hearted young man.
This is like my favorite video on the web, I am in tears about your story!! As weird as it is I had to "come out" as Catholic to my atheist/agnostic parents, and I have a friend who has two moms, and she's not religious cause she thinks religion "doesn't want [her] parents to be happy." Your dad should be a saint...!!!
I have a question... what do you plan on doing about it? Do you have a boyfriend? What is your stance on gay marriage? I need help convincing people that "the Church isn't that bad"!!!!! Your story is so inspirational, God bless you
You are an amazing person. Thanks for sharing your story.
It was so weird watching you today Grant.....first off.... thank you fk sharing ......I saw in you what I saw in myself 15 years ago when I came our
....my parents were the reason I held back as long as I did.....my parents just needed time to absorb everything....I really hope your journey is a smooth one and that you get as much support as possible.
So, you're 24 now and I hope you are living a fulfilled and happy life and have a partner/husband who loves you and you love him.
My life hasn't been probably what you think it has... I have gone through a few health struggles that have held me back the last 5 years (don't worry, they don't involve STDs or drug addiction). But, mentally, I feel I am starting to come out on the other side of it. At times, I feel like life throws us too many boulders. But we just have to keep doing our best to push through it. (:
@@granttwilliam my life seemed very calm when I was 12, but God let me know that by the time I would be in my early 20’s that my life would begin to be very stressful and chaotic. So I just kept going to church, praying and just enjoying the temporary calmness. By the time I was 24 the chaos in my mind began, but I also had accompanying angels helping and giving me strength. My parents taught me very well to persevere (to just keep trying the best that I can) so I just kept enduring my difficulties. Over the next 50 years I’ve had only 4 respites from my difficulties (2 resulting from legal medicines and 2 resulting from miracles). Those respites sometimes lasted a few years, some lasted but several weeks but all were a gift from God to bolster my strength to continue enduring. I’ve also helped others by showing them how to endure and keep trying through very difficult times. In the end God’s love for us will prevail if you trust in Him and just keep loving Him and others. Just keep being honest with yourself and your loved ones, and seek help from others when it’s really needed.
@@granttwilliamdid you ever want to tickle and massage other guys feet in middle school and high school
Hello Grant. Thank you for your story. As a 60 year old gay man who didn't come out until I was 38, I can tell you that it is better to come out when you are younger. I struggle with my internalized homophobia still 22 years later. I don't hate myself as much as I use to, but there are times when the self-loathing raises its ugly head. I started mental health therapy when I was 57, and it has helped immensely. I strongly urge you, and everyone else, gay or straight and everything in between to find a therapist that works for you and talk with them. I started out at twice a week and now on an "as needed" basis.
I wish you happiness in your life.
Great story. Thanks for sharing. I can tell it was heart felt. : )
I am a couple years older than you and i have to say that my story is about the same as yours. Unfortunately I have not been able to tell my parents due to them constantly expressing how much they hate gays and how they think it is disgusting and wrong. So I must wait to be out on my own.Your story really touched me because I am too religious as are my parents and I used to do the same thing and look at the stars and think the same thoughts. Thank you for sharing and giving people like me hope.
Nova_Eleanore did you really hate your parents
I play guitar in my schools orchestra,and I'm also gay but my whole school already knows
Thanks for sharing your story!! Very brave!
I can feel my heart beating so hard as I watch this 😭
Hi you 2 yes both look nice I'm bi text me bk can you meet up have fun
I know how tough it is being gay and telling family friends workmates etc. Good on you. I live in Wellington New Zealand. Be yourself and love life.
Good to hear your story, and that you feel better! :) Coming out is a big relief from the depression, paranoia, repression, and self-hatred you describe (I remember it all too). When you stop hiding a big part of yourself, at least with those you're close with and loving, it can only get better.
As a fellow young, gay Catholic, though, I want to say that part of the problem in our situation is confusing "being gay" with the *physical acts* that are condemned by the Church. Nobody goes to Hell for their sexual orientation (attractions). What matters is our behaviour and chastity (which we do have a choice about). And if we happen to fall while trying our best to live the way God asks us to live, there is always Confession (such a precious gift!).
Just looking out for a fellow gay brother in Christ, and hoping you stay with the Church and her teachings. If you ever wanna talk more, message me. Prayers, and God bless you!
I crushed on a boy in second grade. In fourth grade I was gravely ill and when I survived I became very religious (Catholic). My father had prayed that he would go back to Mass if I recovered. I did, he did. I told my mom, dad and two of my sisters at 16. I heard no word from Dad. Mom made a visit for me to see a psychiatrist. Younger sister said “I hope not” .that was it. But I was a very religious Catholic, molested at 13, suffered from that to this day. Went to seminary, left, acted out, then eventually after.5 years of that I had religious experiences and was on a seesaw for years: acting out promiscuously, confession, REPEAT AD NAUSEUM and I mean ad nauseum. Married a wonderful woman, 4 children, after 20 years divorced; eldest son died, years later my ex died, a few years later my youngest son died. 3 dear people. Today I have my two daughters, one with 4 the other with 7 grand-children. It’s not a simple story. A lot of trials and tribulations not just for me but for the wife/mother and children. I can not regret my children and 11 grandchildren and all their posterity, God willing, which will ensue. I’m still on the seesaw: God vs. my memory of lustful promiscuity. Can’t act out anymore. I don’t know if you will read this but you are lovable and I love you. God bless.
Hi Grant, great video, so pleased for you that your family accept you. There are so many in the Catholic Church who judge, they make life hell for others. Be true to yourself Bro and those Catholics who know and love you will accept you if they don't then it is their problem not yours. God bless you x
That part you said about cheering the lady on definitely hit home. It's weird looking back at how my attitudes on this used to be compared to now that I'm more accepting of who I am.
It makes me sick if I think about it too much. At least we grew and learned, whereas many others do not care to call out their own bigotry. What sad, judgmental lives those people lead.
@@granttwilliam ay thanks for replying! I've come out to my friends and they accepted it (almost accepted it more than me in a weird way) but I'm still holding off on telling my family but your video and some of these other videos I'm watching are building me up to do it
You amazingly sweet, articulate, and (wow) handsome guy: it is now five years later, and I hope everything has gotten much easier for you now that you're in adulthood. High School was not kind to me, so I feel like if you made it through that, your gonna do great. Thanks for sharing your story.
Excellent video. Sounds like you are comfortable with both your spirituality and your sexuality. That is awesome! :D
Good to see you embrace your religion sweetie xx I'm so proud of you
Bless you and i hope all is well with you. This is 2020 and your Your love and compassion for others shown by making this video is still so meaningfull.
That was almost a decade ago. The Catholic Church does not tolerate homophobia. Our parish has a thriving LGBTQ+ ministry -- i.e. approved by the Bishop and the Monsignor. We have a generous budget from the Church, participate in events and sponsor events. Our rainbow flag proudly flies at events. We have outreach programs for homeless LGBTQ+, etc. I could go on. If anyone has problems then talk to your parish Priest or your dioceses' Bishop.
Thanks for sharing your story Buddy.
Your story is precious in the best sense.
I hope your life is filled with acceptance and love in 2024!
When I came out, my dad admitted that when he was in the service he did it with a guy one night said it was ok but it wasn't what he wanted but he could understand if it was what I wanted. He'll never know just what that meant to me. I did it with a girl one night it was ok but it's not what wanted.
What a cool dad! :) I never had any problems with "coming out". Guess I have great parents and friends! :)
WOW ... GREAT VID. Thanks for sharing "blonddude!" ... Our stories have many similarities. I was raised VERY religious as well. Started out DEVOUT Catholic (even prayed the rosary by myself in junior and senior high, and frequently skipped school to walk 5 miles into the countryside to lay at the foot of a cross in the middle of a farmers field.) then I "graduated" to Evangelical-ism (Christian-Taliban, as I call em) - THEN I came of age and engaged my brain and realized God made me this way
Thank you for keeping your faith. And being yourself
Thanks for sharing your story. You are a very courageous young man.
How are you doing. It's been a couple of years since you made this Video. I hope you and your Mom are closer now and it was great to hear your Father accept you unconditionally. I never came out to my Parents. My Mom died when I was 16 and my Father was one of those macho types that scared me. Just remember God is a very compassionate being and I know he forgives me and he will you too. I was raised catholic, went to Catholic School so you can see it wasn't fun for me. Good luck in your life, I hope you have found someone and you came live the way you want.
What a great confessional story! I wish I would of seen this earlier. Any updates on your life or other links that you have? I'd like to support you on your journey.
Hey Grant, that was such a heartfelt video about coming out. You are an inspiration to more young gays than you know. Thanks for doing such a wonderful video and sharing such a personal life story with others. I am sure that are a fine young man and you will have an amazing future.
You are not alone & know that it takes more than courage to come out & tell everybody your secrets about yourself. I am proud of what you have done & have accomplished. Keep your chin up, little bros! God is with you surely & someone special will come your way & fill your needs. I know this to be true, cause you are intelligent, manly, honest, caring, funny & your holy spirit shines so brightly. But most of all, your are gorgeous inside & even more on the outside. God will not abandon you !
You won't go to hell darling GOd created all races to be loved and accepted in his kingdom wether gay straight or bi .xo bless you honey
Grant,I think I can help you and anyone else here who is Catholic. There is a document from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops titled "Always Our Children." It is a pastoral letter to parents of GBLT youth and is an amazing read. It is a real short document- just a few pages, really. The first half is a bit dry, but the last half is wonderful. Well worth your time. May God keep you safe and protect you.
Pope Franny also said that we should love gay people too (duh XD)
Thanks so much, I am catholic/Christian, and hoping to come out to my family soon, and your story has inspired me, thank you so much!!!
I teared up at the part where your dad said he finally feels like he has a son. That's just so beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
Praise the Lord for your sharing your experiences. You’re very brave. Just be happy and positive. Remember to be yourself and ignore the ignorance of others judging you. Their negativity is THEIRS and its up to you to avoid them, at all costs!!! (My mom is Catholic and my dad is Jewish.). None of us have it easy to “come out”. God’s blessings and many positive vibes to you. Have a great life, young man!!!
I come from a long line of Italian Catholics. I lived my life to make everyone else happy. I couldn't take it any more and just came out! A bigger bunch of hypocrites would be hard to find. I am the same person I was before coming out but no one except one family member saw that. The one family member, a first cousin is a CATHOLIC NUN! In her words "God made all his children in his image and the ones who damn you will be the first to be judged by him." AMEN!
Not religious however I know you are the best form of man your supposed to be. Plus we share a name!! Just be you Grant. Proud of you.
Thanks alot for sharing it means alot to me. Since we are both from the same background as catholic christian too:) I wish you all the best.
Glad it helped!
You remind me of Even Peters. I was extremly lucky that my coming out story went VERY well. But having liberal parents didnt hurt. My mom fully embraced me right away. if youve ever seen the 2000 version of queer as folk, my mom was Debbie. To a T. took my father a little longer to accept me but when he did he said i love you no matter what (he NEVER says i love you and has said it maybe 5 times in 43 years).
Oh, you're such a beautiful person. I wish I knew more people like you. c:
It's a shame you haven't kept up with posting video's.....I'm an elder in our community and for some reason I watched a 'coming out' video years ago and ever since TH-cam's algorithms keep sending me 'coming out' stories...today it was yours...When I was your age being gay was still against the law in every country...so I've seen alot of changes....It is my goal, and hopefully I'll see this before I get 'chucked into the furnace' that no one in our community will ever have to 'come out'....That everyone accepts all people have the right to love and be loved. Our main hurdle, as you well know, is organized religion.....and I make this comment not to offend but to educate.....Organized religion tells people we are wrong...and society as a whole believes this, if they are religious or not. Where people have to start experiencing their lives from is the understanding that everyone's basic human right to be free from religion [must] come before religions legal right to freedom of religion. I have no problem with one believing in what they want to.....I do have a problem with someone generating hatred, intolerance or bigotry toward something different from what they believe.
I've got to say - it took a shit load of 'guts' to do what you did..and luckily your folks didn't cart you off to 'Conversion Therapy'....You are an incredibly brave young man and an 'icon' for our community....I'm sure there are thousands of young men and woman who will find strength in your experience. Thank you for sharing.....
This is such an amazing coming out video! Thank you so much for making this!
Awesome! Very happy for you. My parents were very religious also and my mom had said some horrible things about gays, which made it very hard for me to be me and come out. And it was not good when I did. But am happy for those whom their parents accept. Very happy for you.
Cj davis did you really hate your parents
If you're not likely to get kicked out don't delay coming out to your parents. This is a time that you need them and precious days not to waste. Expect it to take some time for them to get used to it.
This is such a coincidence. I’m gay and catholic, I’m still in the process of confirmation. Another thing is I’m crushing on a guy that’s part of it lol. There’s such little chance that he’ll like me back because he’s catholic. +he’s 15/16 I’m 14
There are parallels between us, haha. -- The guy that I always liked grew up with me in the church and at school. He was the guy I mentioned in the video. I never got to tell him how I felt because I didn't want things to be weird with him if he turned out to be straight. Looking back, I would have thought more about telling him, especially since I was moving across the country right after hs graduation. -- I always had a feeling that he was gay. To this day, he's never publicly had a girlfriend; which is crazy since he is very good-looking. He was every girl's dream in hs. I was quite a shy kid growing up. I didn't get a lot of attention from others at school. But he was always someone who valued me and would want to talk to me. Maybe he just wanted me to feel included? Anyways... One time, we went ice skating with two other girls. I didn't know how to skate and it was obviously cold. So he took off his jacket, put it around me. He then embraced me from behind as he skated me around the rink. In my head, I was like, "This feels so right." Haha. But I also got to thinking, "I could not picture him doing this to another guy in our friend group." Maybe that's a stretch... but either way, it was funny because I didn't know how to skate at all. Then when he drove me home, we got to talking about our futures. I told him I was getting out of town for good, was excited for the unknown, and did not care to have kids. Whereas when I asked him, he said that he was looking forward to starting a family and having kids of his own one day. With that, I assumed that he meant with a woman. And I just remember getting all quiet after hearing him say that. He was very religious like I was. So, I do still think about him; hoping he's not hiding in the closet still, if he is actually gay. Maybe he is straight; who knows. But being older now, I do regret that I wasn't open enough to the possibility of letting him know how he made me feel. -- If I were you, I would hold off and really think about it. Maybe wait for more signals before telling him how you feel. With my guy, I did not have enough signals to risk our friendship being over. Unfortunately as you know, a lot of times when we like someone, we mistake their friendly behavior for something more. Then we just get caught up in the cycle of crushing on them without knowing if the feelings are mutual. Which more often than not, are not reciprocated. But nowadays, I find it scarier to not say how you feel and just let life pass you by. Let me know how things go and thanks for reading my cringey memories haha.
Grant Wow, I was really hoping you’d respond and you did :) Thanks for sharing, whenever I’m with him I just feel like he’s attracted to me... that eye contact. He won’t take his eyes off me, kinda a flirt tbh lmao. He compliments me on things. He wants to make me feel comfortable around him I guess. I do see his pupils dilate when he’s making eye contact with me so I look attractive to him. I think I might get his # next time I see him and ask to hang out sometime. Then I’ll tell him, it’s not like we’re close or anything so it’s ok
@@Benzyl_Penoxide That makes me remember more now. Those eyes. You can tell in the eyes. We had that. -- You seem to have a lot going. Wishing you the best with your situation
@Grant I decided to give you an update. So the last time I saw him was over a month ago and there was never a next time I saw him sadly. This is due to the coronavirus. The earliest is August 20th and that’s 4 months from now. I don’t know if that’s worth waiting for...? Something I’m afraid of is getting too emotionally-attached to someone and then tell me that their not gay. It’d be hard to get over someone who you thought you could’ve been with for months. That almost happened with me with this boy that I’m friends with. I told him a few weeks ago that I liked him and he told me he wasn’t gay. I crushed on him for not that long so it was easy to get over him but with someone that I like for 5 months I feel like it’d be impossible. I’m sure more crushes will come along the way, hopefully.
Grant It’s been 6 months. I was re reading what you wrote and really resonated with it. I saw him again (August 19th) and it was the most alive I’ve felt in a while. It felt surreal, never thought that day would ever come. We hung out recently (texted him on instagram) but feel like I messed up... I hope that the next time I see him that I can ask him if he’s gay.
Hi Grant, Thanks for sharing your story as it was sensitive, thoughtful, and captivating. I wish you all the best, as it does get soooo much better. Although my story is similar to yours, after coming out I met my partner. We have now been together for 28 years, and recently got married (Minnesota).
Thanks again as you seem like an awesome person ! ! !
I wish my dad were like your dad
Good on you mate, wish you all the happiness and hope you meet someone awesome.
Thanks very much for the upload.
Hey! Very good! I'm sure that after your coming out, you feel happier. I'm a religious teacher, and just 3 weeks ago one of my student confess to me that he is gay. After that, our conversation is more easy. No barrier at all. Wish you luck and success.
I totally agree with needing to rehearse saying the words "I'm gay", cos that was the hardest thing. I still find it difficult to say tbh, and I've been out for over 2 years
Catholic here too. You are precious. God loves you.
I think it's interesting that you brought up your voice, but before I even heard that, I think your voice is very nice. I went to a very religious school too. I finally dropped all the "God" stuff. I believe in a higher power, who isn't judgemental, misogynistic, hateful, exclusionary and homophobic. I hope you've found more peace.