high school

"For Forever" and My Longing for Brotherhood
29 June 2022
“For Forever” and My Longing for Brotherhood
It was the first song I'd ever heard that touched upon my most simple yet desperate longing; buried beneath the pangs of my sexuality, a clear yet unattainable desire – to have a best buddy, someone who tells me he wants to be with me, someone to goof off with, someone to sit beside in a country field. Someone by my side when I'm
by Eugene Heffron
1 Comment
The Pride of Surviving My Youth
16 June 2022
The Pride of Surviving My Youth
Who was it that said Pride is a celebration of having survived? I can certainly relate to that. I don't know who said it before Ryan did, but I'm processing Pride with new eyes and new appreciation this year, and hopefully for the rest of my life. Recognizing the blessing, even the miracle, that I'm still alive. Indeed, I could have died years ago because of my
by Thomas Mark Zuniga
16 Comment(s)
Adrift as a Child or a Man
6 April 2022
Adrift as a Child or a Man
I still have that Link costume somewhere in my closet. Perhaps it's the wandering through the woods that I love, the isolation, the music; or, perhaps it's something deeper that has stuck with me after all these years. Perhaps it's that I feel like the protagonist: adrift in time, unsure whether I'm a child or a man. This is how I feel as I move back into my childhood bedroom – the place where my sexual trauma
by Christopher
6 Comment(s)
Let's Talk About Erections (Again)
16 February 2022
Let’s Talk About Erections (Again)
Years ago a YOB post like this initially proved to me that this site had something new and interesting to offer the world. It made me feel seen and understood like almost nothing I had read before. That original post no longer exists here, and I've seen your emails wondering where it went and what frighteningly candid content you can instead send your friends. To answer my own self-doubts above: I believe this post will be valuable to someone. It's important. It's worth
by Ryan Burger
9 Comment(s)
Your Other Brothers Podcast | 092: Second Adolescence
12 February 2022
YOBcast 092: Second Adolescence
Many gay or SSA folks experience a delayed or second adolescence in adulthood after keeping our sexuality secret in our first adolescence when we unconsciously adapted to the heteronormative culture around us. When we finally do find safe masculine circles, whether within YOB or elsewhere, conversational topics like sex or masturbation, or shared male experiences like nudity and cuddling hold great appeal – if not laced with some of that adolescent immaturity or a tinge (or bucketload) of
by YOB
7 Comment(s)
"Handsome Devil," a Side B Sleeper Hit?
2 February 2022
“Handsome Devil,” a Side B Sleeper Hit?
Handsome Devil is a very gay movie, but for once a gay movie not focused on sex or even romance; instead, it leans heavily on themes of vulnerability, authenticity, bullying, trauma, masculinity, and most of all, friendship. It checks all the boxes for a Side B sleeper
by Will Cooper
5 Comment(s)
Ghosts of Childhood Friendships Past
3 November 2021
Ghosts of Childhood Friendships Past
Growing up, I had few friends; those I did have were not the greatest. I brought up one boy, Jack, who I'd considered my best friend from first through third grade. I hadn't talked to him since high school. "I'm not sure what's happened to him," I said to my friend. "He could be dead for all I know." On a whim I looked up my old best friend on Facebook, and...yep, sure enough, he was
by Eugene Heffron
14 Comment(s)
Your Other Brothers Podcast | 082
3 July 2021
YOBcast 082: Men’s Fashion
Is fashion just for women, or can men enjoy fashion too? Is it "gay" or "metrosexual" to dress well or put a certain amount of effort into our wardrobe choices? How did we dress ourselves through adolescence, and what impacts how we dress ourselves today? Join Tom, Ryan, and Matt for a particular podcast topic Matt has been wanting us to discuss for
by YOB
4 Comment(s)
Your Other Brothers Podcast | 078
24 April 2021
YOBcast 078: Masturbation
Is masturbation sinful? What if it's done without lusting? Is masturbation "solo-sex" or "self-sex," and does it breech God's design for sexuality? What does the Bible have to say, if anything, about masturbation? Masturbation isn't an oft discussed topic in Christian circles, with many folks describing their childhood discovery of masturbation as if they had been the first ones ever to discover such a secret bodily pleasure. As a result of this secrecy, masturbation has produced a lot of shame for men and women. Regardless where you land on this issue, we want to break down this
by YOB
2 Comment(s)
When I Get Lost in My Loneliness
6 April 2021
When I Get Lost in My Loneliness
Well, 2020 happened. And in this "unprecedented" year, a more personal disease revealed itself in me. Like Nouwen wrote, despite my being around people during a pandemic, I faced loneliness. My tendency to isolate combined with an actual, physical inability to connect with others made me look deeper into the why of my
by Kevin Zimmerman
11 Comment(s)
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