My coming-out in the early 2000s was sheepish, a clean cut. Just do what it takes to get to college and start fresh as a gay man, I would think a 100 times a day. Growing up in rural Illinois — and not (knowingly) seeing or interacting with any gay people as a young person — the allure of going far away from home for college was worth any sum of money to me at the time. This wasn’t just about pursuing an education; it was about having space to discover my identity.
The sentiment is one echoed by many queer people, some
