Post by BFree on May 19, 2014 1:43:58 GMT -6
Hello everyone!! I just want to say it's great to be part of a great community! After talking to Matt for a little bit, I finally registered on the forums. Also, I'd like to thank Matt for getting me to join and becoming a friend.
A little about myself:
I was born October 3, 1986 in Orlando, Florida where I was raised between there and Houston County, Alabama. I was adopted by my biological grandmother and her husband at the time. They divorced and her husband ended up getting full custody of me. He was the best father I could have asked for. I went to school at Ashford Academy in Alabama and come to find out I was the only interracial kid that went to the private school. It was tough growing up Mexican-American and everyone else was Caucasian. I was called wet-back, etc. Except when I played Football and Basketball, things changed and I was good at what I did. My senior year of high school on October 18th, 2004, my father passed away. It was a hard time, but I just knew if nothing else went right that year, I was determined to graduate high school and make my father proud. I ended up getting emancipated and basically living on my own with a room mate. I graduated in May of 2005 and started college that fall in the E.M.S. program. Worked in E.M.S. until September of 2006 and decided I'd move to Anchorage, Alaska (a lot more beautiful than I ever expected). I came back that December due to my great grandmother's health declining. In 2007 I was offered a job with the Dale County Sheriff's Office in Alabama and I took the job. Alabama is definitely not the best place to "come out" in. That August, a guy by the name of Wesley started working for the D.C.S.O. as well and we instantly became friends. About a two months later we started dating and he was my first boy friend I ever had. We didn't tell our business and it was between us, well others at work began to have suspicions about us and we ended up coming out to our closest friends at work. Long story short, it didn't last long after that due to his family not approving of us being together, etc. That November, I remember it as clear as the sky was that night..November 28, 2008, I finally came out to my biological mother and she told me she had her suspicions but she was never really sure. I was so afraid of what she was going to say next because of how close we had become when I graduated high school. She said, "You know, you could have told me sooner. It's your life and you live it how you want and if you're happy, then I'm alright. I'll love you no matter what because you're my son." I remember turning to her and saying, "Well, what do you think mom (my biological grandmother) is going to say. Do you think she'll be mad with me? Do you think she'll still love me?" I remember my bio. mother going with me to tell my mom that I'm gay and I remember the look of disgust on her face and not giving her approval of my lifestyle.
Over the last few years, my bio. mom and I have drifted apart, my mom is still close in my life and has finally accepted the fact that I'm gay and supports me...well tries to the best way she knows how. I'm currently working at two law enforcement agencies, Midland City P.D. as a dispatcher and Napier Field P.D. as the Training Liaison/Res. Police Officer. I'm currently enrolled back in school for my Associate's Degree in Nursing and plan on eventually obtaining my D.N.P. (Doctor of Nurse Practice) degree and Doctorate's degree in Nursing Education. I've had a lot of hard times accepting the fact that I'm gay through out my life, but working at the places I do now and having a few close friends there that accept me for me has made things a lot easier. Not to mention, I use to keep to myself and I was real quiet and reserved...nursing school has completely changed me. I'm more outspoken and outgoing. I enjoy meeting new people and I love to help anyone I can. This all leads up to this point... Thanks Matt for talking me into joining where I can be open and myself and help people if they need advice and even meet some great people to be friends with and have a support system.
My future goal after school is: I eventually plan on traveling around the U.S., maybe as a traveling nurse and I want to move to Savannah, Georgia. It's absolutely beautiful there. I want to be able to help anyone regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Everyone deserves to be treated equal!!! I'm just like everyone else in this crazy world...trying to find my place in the world and make an impact. I want to make a change like so many others. A couple of examples that come to mind is Racheal and Matt here at LGBTSupport.org. I'm glad to be a member of the community!
If I can ever help with anything, please let me know.
Sincerely,
-Brandon
**Also, sorry for any typos, I just got off work and told Matt I was going to register and come introduce myself**
A little about myself:
I was born October 3, 1986 in Orlando, Florida where I was raised between there and Houston County, Alabama. I was adopted by my biological grandmother and her husband at the time. They divorced and her husband ended up getting full custody of me. He was the best father I could have asked for. I went to school at Ashford Academy in Alabama and come to find out I was the only interracial kid that went to the private school. It was tough growing up Mexican-American and everyone else was Caucasian. I was called wet-back, etc. Except when I played Football and Basketball, things changed and I was good at what I did. My senior year of high school on October 18th, 2004, my father passed away. It was a hard time, but I just knew if nothing else went right that year, I was determined to graduate high school and make my father proud. I ended up getting emancipated and basically living on my own with a room mate. I graduated in May of 2005 and started college that fall in the E.M.S. program. Worked in E.M.S. until September of 2006 and decided I'd move to Anchorage, Alaska (a lot more beautiful than I ever expected). I came back that December due to my great grandmother's health declining. In 2007 I was offered a job with the Dale County Sheriff's Office in Alabama and I took the job. Alabama is definitely not the best place to "come out" in. That August, a guy by the name of Wesley started working for the D.C.S.O. as well and we instantly became friends. About a two months later we started dating and he was my first boy friend I ever had. We didn't tell our business and it was between us, well others at work began to have suspicions about us and we ended up coming out to our closest friends at work. Long story short, it didn't last long after that due to his family not approving of us being together, etc. That November, I remember it as clear as the sky was that night..November 28, 2008, I finally came out to my biological mother and she told me she had her suspicions but she was never really sure. I was so afraid of what she was going to say next because of how close we had become when I graduated high school. She said, "You know, you could have told me sooner. It's your life and you live it how you want and if you're happy, then I'm alright. I'll love you no matter what because you're my son." I remember turning to her and saying, "Well, what do you think mom (my biological grandmother) is going to say. Do you think she'll be mad with me? Do you think she'll still love me?" I remember my bio. mother going with me to tell my mom that I'm gay and I remember the look of disgust on her face and not giving her approval of my lifestyle.
Over the last few years, my bio. mom and I have drifted apart, my mom is still close in my life and has finally accepted the fact that I'm gay and supports me...well tries to the best way she knows how. I'm currently working at two law enforcement agencies, Midland City P.D. as a dispatcher and Napier Field P.D. as the Training Liaison/Res. Police Officer. I'm currently enrolled back in school for my Associate's Degree in Nursing and plan on eventually obtaining my D.N.P. (Doctor of Nurse Practice) degree and Doctorate's degree in Nursing Education. I've had a lot of hard times accepting the fact that I'm gay through out my life, but working at the places I do now and having a few close friends there that accept me for me has made things a lot easier. Not to mention, I use to keep to myself and I was real quiet and reserved...nursing school has completely changed me. I'm more outspoken and outgoing. I enjoy meeting new people and I love to help anyone I can. This all leads up to this point... Thanks Matt for talking me into joining where I can be open and myself and help people if they need advice and even meet some great people to be friends with and have a support system.
My future goal after school is: I eventually plan on traveling around the U.S., maybe as a traveling nurse and I want to move to Savannah, Georgia. It's absolutely beautiful there. I want to be able to help anyone regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Everyone deserves to be treated equal!!! I'm just like everyone else in this crazy world...trying to find my place in the world and make an impact. I want to make a change like so many others. A couple of examples that come to mind is Racheal and Matt here at LGBTSupport.org. I'm glad to be a member of the community!
If I can ever help with anything, please let me know.
Sincerely,
-Brandon
**Also, sorry for any typos, I just got off work and told Matt I was going to register and come introduce myself**
That is NEVER an easy thing to deal with. However, the way you have handled the situation, and still made yourself an amazing person is inspiring in itself!! 