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By Rosa Guerrero
Friday, June 06, 2008
Many LGBT youths fear being the victim of discrimination or violence just because of who they are or how they express themselves. Whether it’s being teased or mistreated, it is the reality that many of us have to live with. Every day we awake in fear of hate crimes, but Harvey Milk High School (HMHS) has provided many of us an entirely new and hopeful experience.
HMHS is a new home for many students. In HMHS you’re in an entirely new environment. An environment where it’s okay to be yourself and you don’t have to push aside your feelings to make society happy. It’s almost like a second family and a newfound family for those whom cannot connect with their own. Or for those who feel as if they’re alone. In HMHS, there’s always someone available to speak to, who will understand you and level everything out when you feel you can’t.
When I first came into this school, I never expected everyone to be so great. They were so friendly and open-minded. Everyone’s opinion mattered and it was all about equality and respect. No gender, no race, no sexual orientation. We are all treated equally regardless of how we chose to identify.
AS I FIRST WALKED the hallways of HMHS, I didn’t know who I was. I was trying to figure myself out and what I wanted in life. A couple of months into the school year I found her. She was more than I can explain; she wasn’t only my best friend. She was more than that. It’s almost as if she took the blindfold off of me, and I could see everything more clearly. As a person who grew up in a religious family, this relationship wasn’t something I could comprehend nor knew how to deal with. I was afraid, confused, but most of all, in love.
As the school year progressed, so did my feelings for her. The feelings we shared were indescribable. I never felt this way before. The questions were endless. Is this really me? Is this what I really want? It’s almost as if I wanted to dedicate every second of my day to her. I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring just because I knew she was waiting outside my class for me with open arms. I thought she’d get tired of my confusion and fear, but she didn’t. Instead she stood by me 100 percent. She was patient and was there for me more than anyone has ever been before.
WHEN WE WERE together, we weren’t judged for it. Everyone was happy for us. We got compliments. Can you believe that? Outside of HMHS, we didn’t get that. We would get mean looks and rude remarks. I didn’t know how to reply, but I didn’t have to worry about that. She would always hold me down and pull me closer regardless of what anybody had to say, and we always had HMHS as our support system when we felt down and needed help. Although things changed, she showed me a lot and for that I will always love her.
Society today is all about labels. You may be walking down the street and someone who does not know you may automatically say something like “Oh, he’s gay.” Or “What a thug”. You’re judged by what you wear, the way you speak, your gender, your ethnicity. HMHS has given many of us the opportunity to free ourselves from society’s labels, if only for a few hours each day.
Harvey Milk High School has changed me as a person. I realized its okay to be different. It’s a better way of living life. Even though people may judge you for who you are, being independent will make you a better and stronger person. In HMHS you aren’t judged, criticized, categorized or mistreated because of the way you act or look. No matter who you are, you’re welcomed here with open arms. At HMHS I have learned the true meaning of friendship, love and happiness. I now look at the world through a completely different set of eyes.
Rosa Guerrero is a student at the Harvey Milk High School, which is in partnership with the Hetrick-Martin Institute, in New York. She is studying journalism and communications through courses offered by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and The New York Blade. Look for other writings by Harvey Milk students in future issues of The Blade.
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