By

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My name is Kristy Ritchea, and I'm from a small town in West Virginia. The sad thing about my hometown is that its conservative. If you aren't white or straight you are looked down upon, and it's disgusting in my eyes. At 13 years old, I started my 8th grade year. Me and my best friend became close once again, as I had family problems over the summer and couldn't talk with her too much. About two weeks into the school year, I had a dream (yes a dream), about kissing this best friend. I never had a problem with being gay, but I always thought I was sure that I wasn't. So, ultimately the crush on my friend scared me and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face it, so I put it off to the side. But, seemingly the next day as I was going to school, I couldn't get my mind off my best friend and I constantly had a strange feeling in my heart and in my head, and this is how I felt until first period, in which I had with her. She kept asking me if I was okay, which I told her I was fine, and I went to explain I had a strange dream about kissing someone, I never told her who. So, another week or two went by and I finally told her, I confessed my feelings and ultimately felt almost disgusted, and thankfully she accepted and told me she's had similar feelings and will support me no matter what happens, which I needed. The next month or so, I fell into a phase of depression, mostly because I didn't accept myself and thought something was wrong, thinning that I was gender fluid, to transgender, to gay, until after a while I told myself that it was best I be happy, that to accept myself, despite my town and beliefs. So, on September 9th, I finally came out, first telling my best friend and keeping it strictly to a few people that I was bisexual, for some reason it felt amazing. A few months later, going into March, I realize that my "best" friend told many people, in which I never had to come out of the closet, I was just a rumor that everyone knew. I became depressed again, because I lost trust and respect, I now had the lesbian label. I also was afraid because I didn't want to say I was gay, but I didn't want to say I was bisexual. And then, one day I left my phone at home and when a friend sent a text, my mom looked at the messages. At that point she found out, she asked me about it and that's when I told her, coming out completely. She said she was sorry for making me think I wouldn't be accepted and she said she loved me for who I was, which felt like tons and pounds lifted off of my shoulders. Fast forward to now, I'm a freshman and I'm apart of a band that also contains LGBTQ+ people. I'm still depressed, not due to my sexuality (I believe I am homoflexible) but, due to what counselors believe is anxiety, in which I am getting out. But, overall I'm content with my sexuality, I've found friends who love me and I'm slowly coming out to family. I suppose my point is, be proud of who you are. Your passions, your gender, your race, your sexuality, because that will never effect your work or your achievements. Because, it's amazing what you can do when you believe in yourself.