Jon

Jon, age 10

Leawood, Kansas (1990)

I got my love of reading from my mother, pictured with me enjoying our mutual hobby. Here, I'm reading a Babysitter's Club book. Reading books "meant for girls" caused teasing by my sister and bullies at school, but I didn’t care.

I read all of those books, as well as Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret." I found myself re-reading the sections in it where Margaret and her girl friends talked about their budding attractions to boys. In hind sight, I was drawn to those sections, because I was experiencing the same feelings as Margaret and her friends.

I knew what "gay" was by the time I was 11 or so, but since boys used it to insult one another, I refused to even consider that I might be that word.

I always felt different, because I hated sports and never understood why other boys were obsessed with them. My interests were indoor activities such as board games. I was fortunate that I was able to use this interest to socialize with other boys after school. 

My mother and I became close during my teenage years when my sister moved away for college, and it was just she and I at home. Regrettably, I never had the chance to come out to her. She passed away from cancer when I was 19. I spent the next year both grieving her loss and accepting that being gay was okay.

I often find myself imagining the conversation my mother and I never had, trying to imagine what her response would've been. My best guess is she would have had some sleepless nights thinking how this would affect my life, as well as hers. But, I am 100% sure that she would have loved and accepted me without hesitation! I can even envision her marching with PFLAG in a pride parade!

Today, I'm 31, happy, and have been with my partner for 7 years.
And I cannot imagine my life any other way!

Jon's first, famous-person same sex crushes:

Burt Ward (Robin on "Batman")

Mark-Paul Gosselaar ("Saved By The Bell")

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Jon

Jon, age 10

Washington, IA (1975)

I loved to read - I think there was a book just out of the frame - and I tended to also be kind of hyper. I don't know if you can see it in this small pic, but my fingers are digging a hole in the rug. How's that for a combination!

Looking at this pic now, as an adult, he looks like a sweet kid, who probably needs to take a bath and brush his hair - LOL! And who was also outgrowing his clothes. Honestly, I don't know when I felt different. At this age, I thought some OTHER people were kinda different, though.

I wasn't really aware of pop culture at the time, as we didn’t have a TV. However, I listened to our soundtracks to "The Music Man" and "The Sound of Music" over and over and over, until I had them completely memorized. 

To the kids today I'd like to say:
Isn't it great to be able to bathe and brush your hair and wear clothes that fit?!  Don't take it for granted!

Jon's first, famous-person same sex crush:

Ike Eisenmann ("Escape To Witch Mountain")

With his pretty brown eyes and elfin features, I just knew he’d be the nicest boy.

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