Post by iheartwilson on Apr 17, 2014 9:52:29 GMT -6
Can a person have a "coming out" story when she is not gay? Yes. I'm coming out as a supporter. And it hasn't been easy. How did I get here? On this forum? OMG, my story is long. I have a lot of responsibilities and things weighing on me so I'll have to tell it in bit and pieces. I think there is a different forum for that. So here are the basics of me for now.
My name is Jen. I will be 44 years old on April 25. I'm in my second marriage. My first marriage - I got married because I was in love with the idea of having the traditional family. It was the next step in life in my mind. My first husband was judgemental and had a temper from time to time. I was hurt a few times but didn't go through the horrible day to day stuff that many people suffer with. We attended three different Baptist churches during our short 7 1/2 year marriage. (That probably speaks for itself.) I had a few miscarriages and two preterm babies. Brian is 18 years old. He was born 16 weeks early. He has cerebral palsy, high functioning autism and a few medical issues from being premature. He is cute, lovable and funny. He that's person that people won't forget because he is that impressionable. But... Do you know how hard it is to teach a person on the autism spectrum to be respectful and tolerant of others? It's very, very hard. My second baby boy, Blake, was 18 weeks premature and died during a quick, sudden delivery while alone in my hospital room. A few months later, I decided that I needed to be strong, accept help and accept losing my entire group of friends from church. I was kicked out/disowned from my church because I divorced my abusive husband. When I saw him kicking our son down the hall when he could only crawl... that was the last straw. My 5 year old son, Brian, and I moved to my parents home for a few months until I had a secure job. I went from being a stay-at-home mom to a single working mom. A place I never thought I would be but was determined to make it work. I thought I would always be single because of my son and I was okay with it. God had a different plan. I met my best friend and soul mate while getting a master's degree in special education. He has been the best dad Brian could ever have. His name is Jim.
I was a successful middle school special education teacher for a few years. Long story short, bullying from colleagues forced me to take a medical leave. I was diagnosed with depression. The bullying continued. I was admitted into a mental hospital when I was harming and attempting to kill myself. I met some wonderful people there. Everyone had their own story including people struggling with coming out as gay to their friends and family. I was discharged with a new label - BiPolar. Oh the stigma! When I returned to work at a new school, everyone knew! So much for privacy. I was set up to fail. I was actually told by my new principal that I probably wouldn't make it through the year. Well, he made sure that would happen. I was gone in May. I missed my vulnerable 7th graders terribly and worried about them until the school year was done. Why? Some of the teachers bullied students, too. My family and I survived on one income for a couple of years but now we're in chapter 13 bankruptcy which has allowed to keep us in our home and my son in a good post-secondary special ed program. I will never be able to teach again. I can't even get a job I'm over qualified for. I feel like I've lost my identity and purpose in life. I'm being treated for PTSD, BiPolar and chronic migraines.
I'm known as iheartwilson on twitter, tumblr and some online forums because I fell in love with the gay couple, Will Horton & Sonny Kiriakis, on Days of our Lives.
Okay, that was way too long!
My name is Jen. I will be 44 years old on April 25. I'm in my second marriage. My first marriage - I got married because I was in love with the idea of having the traditional family. It was the next step in life in my mind. My first husband was judgemental and had a temper from time to time. I was hurt a few times but didn't go through the horrible day to day stuff that many people suffer with. We attended three different Baptist churches during our short 7 1/2 year marriage. (That probably speaks for itself.) I had a few miscarriages and two preterm babies. Brian is 18 years old. He was born 16 weeks early. He has cerebral palsy, high functioning autism and a few medical issues from being premature. He is cute, lovable and funny. He that's person that people won't forget because he is that impressionable. But... Do you know how hard it is to teach a person on the autism spectrum to be respectful and tolerant of others? It's very, very hard. My second baby boy, Blake, was 18 weeks premature and died during a quick, sudden delivery while alone in my hospital room. A few months later, I decided that I needed to be strong, accept help and accept losing my entire group of friends from church. I was kicked out/disowned from my church because I divorced my abusive husband. When I saw him kicking our son down the hall when he could only crawl... that was the last straw. My 5 year old son, Brian, and I moved to my parents home for a few months until I had a secure job. I went from being a stay-at-home mom to a single working mom. A place I never thought I would be but was determined to make it work. I thought I would always be single because of my son and I was okay with it. God had a different plan. I met my best friend and soul mate while getting a master's degree in special education. He has been the best dad Brian could ever have. His name is Jim.
I was a successful middle school special education teacher for a few years. Long story short, bullying from colleagues forced me to take a medical leave. I was diagnosed with depression. The bullying continued. I was admitted into a mental hospital when I was harming and attempting to kill myself. I met some wonderful people there. Everyone had their own story including people struggling with coming out as gay to their friends and family. I was discharged with a new label - BiPolar. Oh the stigma! When I returned to work at a new school, everyone knew! So much for privacy. I was set up to fail. I was actually told by my new principal that I probably wouldn't make it through the year. Well, he made sure that would happen. I was gone in May. I missed my vulnerable 7th graders terribly and worried about them until the school year was done. Why? Some of the teachers bullied students, too. My family and I survived on one income for a couple of years but now we're in chapter 13 bankruptcy which has allowed to keep us in our home and my son in a good post-secondary special ed program. I will never be able to teach again. I can't even get a job I'm over qualified for. I feel like I've lost my identity and purpose in life. I'm being treated for PTSD, BiPolar and chronic migraines.
I'm known as iheartwilson on twitter, tumblr and some online forums because I fell in love with the gay couple, Will Horton & Sonny Kiriakis, on Days of our Lives.
Okay, that was way too long!
