rafaeal-50281505 @rafaeal-50281505
I've always been a bit of an oddball. Growing up in a small town was tough for me, especially when it came to my sexual orientation and identity. I didn't quite fit into the traditional "girl" mold, but I never really tried to conform either. Instead, I just kinda existed outside of societal norms from a pretty young age.
My parents were good people who loved me no matter what, but they were also super conservative and old-fashioned in their own ways. So growing up with them was like walking on eggshells all the time - you never knew when something might set them off or upset them. It made it really hard for me to come out as gay, especially because I had already been experimenting with girls since middle school.
Eventually though, I found my tribe and my community in college. And that's when things started to get a lot better for me. I met people who accepted me for who I was and didn't judge me or try to change me. It was like the whole world opened up for me at that point and it felt amazing.
I remember being so scared of rejection and not knowing how others would react, but the people I met in college were all about acceptance and love. They helped me to see myself in a new light and they gave me the confidence to be who I truly am. That was a really transformative time for me and I'm forever grateful for it.
But even though things are so much better now, there's still that
