You see it in prime time television shows like Glee and talk shows like Ellen. But is it becoming
more acceptable. Beeing gay is often
frowned upon in today's society and
their voices are rarely heard, but what
is their story?
We took four individuals all from
different walks of life who define
themselves as gay
and learn more about the difficulty, normalness
much more about their
daily lives. Hey my name is Colton Brown
I'm twenty two years old. My name is Asia
I'm 21 years old.
My name is Tyler Wendt
I'm 30 years old.
My name is Crystal Peak. I'm 22 years old. And I'm gay. I'm gay.
Oh! And I'm gay.
Yeah! i love girls.
The first time you fall for someone is
always memorable
no matter who it is. For These four
individuals the first time liking
someone of the same sex was as memorable
as anyone else. The first time I noticed I was attracted to someone of the same sex. I was actually
on my lunch break and I was with my coworker and I saw this girl
she was working there.
I was actually watching Big Bad Beatle Borgs, actually. Right after the Power Rangers. And
I
had a big crush on the main guy
from that show. I've been gay all my live honestly.
I was probably ten or eleven. It was the first time I really noticed it.
I had a neighbor who lived in my neighborhood and
we were friends and I kind of looked up to him.
but also
I guess I was attracted to him. And I didn't really know how to
process the feelings.
She looked like really pretty
and happy. She had nice eyelashes and
I knew that she really was like a pretty cool and I could acknowledge that she was pretty. But I was...
It just went deeper. It wasn't like oh she's pretty. There was an actual attraction.
We used to play truth or dare or stupid games and stuff like that.
Which often times was like experimenting.
Which I guess is pretty normal. I come to find out much later.
Being heterosexual it's not the norm to
come out to others the coming-out
process is often feared among
homosexuals and the first person they
tell always seems to be the most
important.
And the one thing that they always want is acceptance especially from their
parents. 
The first person I came out to was my little sister actually.
When I came out, my mom was the first person I told.
I just told her I met a girl and was attracted to her.
I think the first person I came out to was my best friend Lauren.
She's been my best friend since I was in seventh grade.
Her name was Isabelle. She was a Puerto Rican girl
So then after that I just went along with it.
I was
15 and it was a huge deal. I remember...
I can almost relive the whole thing in my head.
It was my freshman year in college and I'd never mentioned it to anyone at this point and I
finally blurted out to her
"I'm dating a guy".
Like I said it that fast.
We got dropped off at Rio Bravo. It's a Mexican restaurant.
And her and I sat there, and I remember over the chips and salsa
sitting there
trying to make her guess. I told her I had this thing that I needed to tell her.
And she was like "okay"
because she's really really open to everything.
She accepted it because she's pretty open.
But of course she wanted to make sure
that I wasn't you know just...
She's always had concerns of me talking to
a girl cause she was you know
openly had a girlfriend and stuff.
I remember her reaction was that that was so cool and that we could go to the mall and check out guys
together.
Which kind of made my whole life at the moment.
A few months ago I finally told my parents.
My dad
he was comfortable about it because I'm his only daughter. 
My dad had been dealing with adrenal cancer
on and off for four years and um...so
when I was fifteen, he passed away.
I was pretty well aware of being gay at this point.
I guess he felt that
since I'm his only daughter. He didn't
want some guy to try to hurt
me or abuse me, I would say.
I wrote them a letter and drove back to Atlanta.
But my mom she wasn't with it at all.
She just got really quiet for two weeks and wouldn't talk at all.
They showed up at my doorstep.
She asked me to promise not to pursue it. That's how she put it.
We talked, we yelled, we screamed, we fought.
They quoted Bible verses nonstop.
They almost justified
my younger sister telling me I was going to hell.
She got onto me about going to hell and that I'm doing the wrong things. It's a sin.
She threw me out of the house.
I went to another room and kind of told them they could leave if they want to.
I tried to keep it from my mom, you know. Every time I would tell her about my girlfriend, I would tell her it's my friend.
I would be in a place that was so difficult or so hard or like living situation was horrible
And all I  wanted in the world was to go home or talk to her or see her, but it just was not a possibility.
I was like sitting there, hunched over like crying my eyes out.
Just like some of the
screaming matches that we had and the things that we said to each other were like...Um it's just stuff that you can't take back and it's stuff that got carried around with me for a long time.
I yelled at my dad. I just screamed at him.
I didn't want to keep it from her all my life and say this is my friend
when I
feel like one day I would want to marry the girl. You know?
Our whole lives he was just like a financial supporter.
Like the thing my mom said about my dad not accepting me. It's like something that can't be
Even still I haven't come to terms with it.
It's something you can't get any confirmation on.
I was really, really irritated that of all the things that have
happened in my life,
this is the one thing is take interest in.
It's kind of like the people you count on the most for feeling good about yourself
or like that's where you get your acceptance from.
The people who will accept you no matter what.
Or the place where your safe. It's like that's not even there.
People just don't know their affect on others. It's really ridiculous.
The media and many believe that one chooses
to be gay or homosexual
and that it is wrong. But is it really a
choice or are you born that way?
It's not really a choice, you know. I mean like I said I've been liking girls since I was young. I would say since six years old.
I wouldn't have chosen it for myself.
I would think more of it's the person you are. But I know somewhere along the lines the
choice comes. Do you come out about it or do you just...I know to many people who try to cover it up.
I think it's a very big combination of biological,
psychological, and social factors.
Logically, I wouldn't choose it. You know.
It does make life a little bit different, a little harder.
And it gives you more stuff to deal with than you already would.
Everyone uses this argument,
but if you really just
think about it from an objective standpoint,
Who chooses to
be in any sort of minority group?
Again, I don't regret it. It's made me a much better person I think, and I am grateful for it. But I definitely don't think it's a choice.
You know, African Americans.
They don't chose to be African American, because if they chose to be African American,
they would be like "Oh yeah! Let me experience all of this racism. That sounds like a great idea."
Why would I choose to be part of any sexual minority?
Because I know I am going to face discrimination.
I feel like it's part of the person you are and if you are gay or if you are dating someone of the same sex then
it would have happened anyway. I don't feel like it has any outside influence.
Many teenagers and young adults are afraid to come out,
but these four individuals have some words
of encouragement for those who are
struggling.
There's not as much to be afraid of as you think.
But that goes without saying across the board for whatever it is you're afraid of.
It's never...
It's never as bad as it seems.
You need to find someone who you feel comfortable telling all your problems to.
Someone who is going to listen to all your problems.
Not that's like gonna be in your presence.
Do what makes you happy.
And don't worry about what others think.
Because you are the only one who can live your life.
You are an individual
and you are important
to the world
in someone's eyes.
It'll make you feel much better about yourself and you will just be more comfortable and open.
So I'd say just do what you want to do. Hey, I mean you only have one life to live.
I would say just go for it.
