Shane's story

Shane's story

Being gay in Somerset can be hard and you do need to put a front up. I am an openly gay person but going out on the town can be daunting not knowing whether there are going to be homophobic people out there. I have been in some incidents where people have started on me because of my sexuality, but I just let it go as those people must not have been educated about sexuality. My family have been very supportive in the sense they haven't judged me for who I am and my friends have also been great, to be honest I made lots more friends once I came out because I could be who I wanted to be.

Coming out was very hard for me as it would be for any young person. I first came out to my sister who supported me and I then came out to my friends so that they could give me advice for when I told my family. To be honest once you told one person they kind of help tell everyone else and some people I have never actually told but they know I am gay. I did find that school didn't help in any sense or form, but being a catholic school I am unsure whether that was why. I had heard a few teachers say homophobic things so it wasn't something I would talk about openly to teachers and I had been discriminated from some activities. Teachers need to understand that students sexuality comes out at Secondary school and all students should be given advice even if they don't want it, a few years down the line that information could help. I never actually had proper sex education lessons at my school, we probably had roughly 2 lessons out of 5 years of attending. Although I looked and found out about sex my own way, schools should be providing this information with the amount of under-age pregnancies, as well providing support for those people that do not come out about their sexualities for years, that puts strain and pressure on them.

Being gay hasn't made my life any different to straight people and I wouldn't change being Gay as I am no different, this is me! The only thing that I do find frustrating is when I'm referred to as 'Gay Shane'. My advice to anyone that is reading this and they are not out, 2BU has been so helpful to not just me but to everyone that contacts the group, there are many people that are not out and this group helps them understand their sexuality further. Shane

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