Thought I’d confirm my gender is male and always has been. That was why my high school didn’t intervene or even provide support to me when they knew I was living with my older boyfriend.
I believe that that was why his colleagues at work didn’t think too hard about his email to the team saying he’s off to pick up his boyfriend from high school. Or when I was given alcohol while underage when he brought me to company parties. (the same company I worked at years later and he harassed me at btw)
Apparently, being gay created a kind of shield of deniability, awkwardness and fear that people just didn’t want to deal with. If someone else comes forward and sets things in motion, I will put my hand up to testify. But I’m not going to drag myself through the mud just to re-live all that trauma in hope it may lead to something.
Last thing I’ll say is this. I came from a conservative family, I believe that my family household primed me for exploitation in a number of ways. Low self worth. Lack of agency. Lack of awareness of the world. Even before I moved out, I felt safer in bed with strangers than in the one my parents gave me.
It’s my firm believe that if I’d had parents who accepted me, or at least cared enough to truly look out for me, I wouldn’t have been abused for so many years.
Thank you for writing this <3
Thought I’d confirm my gender is male and always has been. That was why my high school didn’t intervene or even provide support to me when they knew I was living with my older boyfriend.
I believe that that was why his colleagues at work didn’t think too hard about his email to the team saying he’s off to pick up his boyfriend from high school. Or when I was given alcohol while underage when he brought me to company parties. (the same company I worked at years later and he harassed me at btw)
Apparently, being gay created a kind of shield of deniability, awkwardness and fear that people just didn’t want to deal with. If someone else comes forward and sets things in motion, I will put my hand up to testify. But I’m not going to drag myself through the mud just to re-live all that trauma in hope it may lead to something.
Last thing I’ll say is this. I came from a conservative family, I believe that my family household primed me for exploitation in a number of ways. Low self worth. Lack of agency. Lack of awareness of the world. Even before I moved out, I felt safer in bed with strangers than in the one my parents gave me.
It’s my firm believe that if I’d had parents who accepted me, or at least cared enough to truly look out for me, I wouldn’t have been abused for so many years.