Recognizing National Coming Out Day
It’s October 11, National Coming Out Day. Over the years, countless individuals, young and old, have taken to YouTube, Facebook, the Internet, and face-to-face relationships to finally reveal their sexuality this month. Coming out is a pivotal moment in any gay or SSA (same-sex attracted) person’s journey, and we gathered our featured authors together for a conversation on our own coming out experiences this Coming Out Month.
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My Battle with Male Body Image
I remember being envious of the other boys who seemed so free in their bodies, so free with their bodies. I remember being envious of their slenderness, and later on, their muscles. I remember lying in bed wishing so hard that I could wake up and be miraculously thin. I remember knowing that I shouldn’t hate my body but having no idea how to stop.
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Singleness in a Silhouette
We finished the day by taking silhouette pictures with the blazing orange-and-pink sky as our backdrop. My siblings lovingly kissed their spouses and lifted them up in the air as some of the most romantic and precious images I’d ever witnessed. I stayed to watch for a little while, knowing that no one would ask me if I wanted any pictures by myself. That would have been absurd, right? It didn’t take long for me to reach the end of what I could handle with my family. So, I ran away.
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Giving Up On My Dreams for a Wife and Kids
When I was a kid, my dream was to grow up and get a wife and kids. A lot of kids. My family and church taught me to pray for my future spouse. So, I did. Everyday for years. I prayed for the girl I’d one day marry, that God would protect her and care for her, whoever she was.
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The Joys and Sorrows of Being an Introvert
I hated being the awkward, quiet introvert; I wanted to be like the energetic, chatty, extroverted kids. They always seemed to make a bajillion friends and were always the life of the party who people laughed at and enjoyed. I hated myself for not having charisma or speaking when it mattered. I thought something was wrong with me.
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My Jesus Journey Leads Me Here
Call it a “new direction” or a clearer translation of what YOB has been from the start: a community desperate for Jesus. My 31-year Jesus journey leads me here. Wherever “here” is. Broken on the floor. Echoes of the past ringing in my ears. Doubts for the future always shadowing my vision no matter how many tears I blink away.
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YOBcast Episode 038: Fathers
How did our fathers affect our upbringings as men with same-sex attraction? How do our fathers still affect us today? What does Father’s Day mean to us, if anything? Tom and Elliott welcome back Dean for a discussion on fathers and Father’s Day. Additionally, our YOBBERS submit questions for Dean to answer from his perspective as a father.
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YOBcast Episode 036: Puberty
How did puberty affect our childhoods, and how does it still impact us today? Physically, emotionally, relationally, and sexually? We dive into the physical changes we experienced, our family dynamics, the comparisons we made to other boys, and ultimately this matter of “sexual awakening.”
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We Must Take Courage
In this episode of Manly Monday, Tom dives into the fourth of our five YOB values — courage. A value that goes hand-in-hand with our final value, vulnerability. In order to embrace vulnerability, however, one must first take courage. Watch as Tom talks about rollercoasters, public speaking, and Holy Spirit promptings.
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YOBcast Episode 033: Marriage, Another Story
Sometimes a marriage falls apart. We tell another story of “mixed-orientation” marriage as Elliott’s friend, John, talks about his unique upbringing in Japan, his time as an openly gay man at a Christian college, his sexual encounters with men and women, and ultimately a marriage that led to children and heartbreak.
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