Life is hard. From birth, we’re all assigned a certain gender based on our sex; we’re raised to play
with Barbie or G.I. Joe because of what’s between our legs. If you’re a girl, you’re expected to play
dress up & have tea parties…if you’re a boy, you’re supposed to play with Matchbox’s & like bugs. When it
comes time to like someone, boys like girls and girls like boys.
…But what happens when a person doesn’t follow the rules?
I grew up playing with Hot Wheels, got into a great deal of fights, wore jeans & hats everyday and
never thought twice about any of it. I wasn’t forced to play with Barbie or wear fancy dresses (except
on holidays) and I grew up fine. I was taught to respect my elders, ask before I took, not to talk to
strangers and not judge others before “walking a mile in their shoes”. My parents did a damn fine job of
raising all of my sisters and I am proud of who I am and how I have turned out.
…But according to society, I didn’t turn out so well.
I am bisexual – I am capable of loving a man or a woman. I’m not gay, nor am I straight. I am what
I am and I’m not sorry for it. When I fall in love it’s because of how a person makes me feel and for
what I see in them. It may be a smile, a cute laugh, or the way the lights dance in their eyes – I don’t
know. I just know that when I fall for someone, I fall hard. I’ve been in my share of relationships
over the years and for different reasons they’ve ended. I’m currently single and not looking for love…
although I will not shun it away if it does come along again. I have dated women and I have dated
men. I don’t prefer one over the other and have never had a problem with loving either one.
I came out to my parents recently and things between us have not been the same since. When I’ve
come out to certain friends they have ceased to talk to me. I’ve been shunned from certain groups of
people and different communities. I’ve been attacked verbally and physically because of who I am…all
because I “didn’t follow the rules”.
I don’t blame my parents for “raising me to be a boy”. I don’t regret anything in my past and if I
had the chance I would not change any of it. I just find it sad that in this ever-evolving world we live
in, there are still people out there who cannot progress with the rest of us. I see too many gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transsexual and transgenders out there trying to “cure their disease and become
normal” just because society cannot accept us and it’s so sickening and sad.
…Why aren’t we the normal ones? What makes their beliefs right? Why can’t we break away from
society’s rules and be who we are?
