day nineteen - enid blyton be damned
I’ve always loved books, words, and language. As a child, I’d often read voraciously, which in turn helped me acquire a larger than average vocabulary (to the point when in my mid-teens, my best mate would ritualistically introduce me to girls saying “This is James. He’s ‘The Words Guy’. He can tell you the spelling and definition of any word you can think of! Go on, test him!” - no need to extrapolate on how unfruitful that exercise was!).
It was in Year 3 that I changed to a new school. It was a private school, much bigger than to what I was used to, and had annual school camps. This was something that I’d only read about, so when the time came for my first camp, I was overjoyed.
My Mum kindly offered to drive to camp, and we gave a lift to two of my classmates. When she hopped out of the car at a petrol station, the two girls in the backseat giggled, and then asked in unison “James, are you gay?”. Having never heard the word outside the books I’d read, I only knew one definition. “Well,” I thought, “I’m here, about to go on my first school camp and am super happy about it.”. It almost seemed a preposterous question. “I certainly am” I said proudly. “Today is a great day!”.
That naive answer, from an 8 year old (who hadn’t even yet considered his sexuality), sparked 5 years of taunts, exclusion, bullying, and violence, ultimately forcing me to leave the school.
It also gave me a harrowing glimpse of the experience of what many people in the LGBTQIA communities experience on a daily basis.
Personally, it was a very dark, cruel time, and had terrible impacts on my mental health, but it only strengthened my belief that all people should be treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of their gender or sexual orientation.
Although most Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) Australians live healthy and happy lives, research has demonstrated that a disproportionate number experience poorer mental health outcomes and have higher risk of suicidal behaviours than their peers. These health outcomes are directly related to experiences of stigma, prejudice, discrimination and abuse on the basis of being LGBTI.
Source linked below - National LGBTI Health Alliance
Kilt of the day - Black Watch
Soundtrack of the day - Queen - I Want To Break Free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Mc-NYPHaQ
Link of the day - The Statistics at a glance: The Mental Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual. Transgender, and Intersex people in Australia
