Unlike Iran, Free State has gay people.

            In a high school atmosphere of opportunity and diversity, some students realize their true identities and come out. Coming out can be one of the toughest decisions in a gay person’s life, and in some environments it’s made even tougher. The majority of lesbian, gay and bisexual people begin to realize their sexuality in their teen years, and the journey of coming out is extremely difficult, according to a publication of Rockland Magazine.

            Like many kids struggling with coming out, junior Isaac Beshore knew he was gay at 13.

            “I felt like it was time for me to come out….I felt like I wasn’t being true to who I really was,” Beshore said.

            Beshore came out in the eighth grade, and telling his parents was the hardest part.  He came home from school one day and decided to tell his sister. 

            “I’d been keeping it inside for so long….She started crying, I started crying.” Beshore said. “It was a very emotional thing.”

            Once he’d told his parents, it was time to let his friends know.  He was living in a small town at the time, and in such a small community, it was very difficult.

            “It was harder. People aren’t very accepting of that kind of stuff.”

            As people began accepting him, things began to look up. 

            “I was in a really deep depression when I had been in denial about my sexuality, and I finally was able to come to terms with it, and it’s been a lot better for me and my family,” Beshore said.

When Beshore came to Free State, he acted as himself and made friends.  Senior Sara Giermann, one of his best friends, knew before he even told her that he was gay.

            “He came up to me and I just knew it by how out there he was,” Giermann said. “Most guys don’t act that way. I didn’t think of him any differently at all because we’re best friends now, but when I first met him I just accepted it.”

            Beshore believes that with time, things have gotten even better.  The key is to take things one step at a time.

            “It’s been a very rough road for me and my family.” Beshore said. “As the years go on more of my family members find out and the more I’m accepted by my family.”

Beshore’s advice for teens struggling with coming out is to take plenty of time.  

             “Don’t rush the process - it’s a very difficult thing and a lot of people have no idea what it’s like, or what gay people go through. It’s very, very hard.”