George's Story

I found out about 2BU though my friend James who is also a member. Before I joined I only knew him and a few other gay people, and I didn’t even know any a few years before that, being when it first started to sink in that I was gay. It was probably around the age of 12 going on 13 when I was becoming a teenager that all this came to me. The fact I didn’t know anyone who was gay at the time meant I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about it and it made me feel like I was the only one it was happening to. It made me feel really low and I tried to hide it from others and thought to myself if I didn’t pursue it, that everything would just go away and that I could be ‘normal’. It didn’t work! It didn’t help I went to a small boarding school when this was all happening. I felt like everyone there was really judgmental and the year was so small that everything was everyone’s business, so it was not an ideal place to come out about my sexuality because I had this image in my mind about everyone gossiping about me. It probably took me a few years to realise that I had to be myself and that it was useless to fool myself into thinking I was something I couldn’t be! I told my best friend about me being gay, and she took it very well. I was expecting her to be nice about it anyway because I knew she wasn’t homophobic or judging and mainly because I could trust her so well. I was so nervous telling her about it but I was so glad once I had told someone. Slowly I started telling more of my close friends. It became slightly easier telling people over time. I felt more honest with them and I found it brought us closer. I’m not sure if telling friends is a good idea in all circumstances but in my case it was because I was so close with them. If I wasn’t put in a position like I was where I couldn’t trust my friends, a group like 2BU would have been very useful at the time. After joining 2BU I grew the courage to tell my brother about my sexuality and shortly after, also my mum. Even though I still haven’t told my dad, and don’t plan to in the near future, I’m glad that I told my mum because she can understand more when I have problems. I feel 100 times better now than ever, I’m more open about being gay and I would strongly recommend a teenager with similar situations to come along and check out the group!