If it's not permission to read our stories that my new friend needs, and the insight is still not enough to help him feel welcome, what else does he need?
I wanted to tell my new friend not to go. I wanted to tell him to stay at our church. To stay with me. I wanted to throw my arms around him and thank him.
Is it really acceptable for men to cry? American culture has told me and countless other boys and young men that crying is not manly.
"We want you to help us reach LGBT people," my pastor said. "It's our belief that this is your true calling. And we want to help you."
I get into times of doubting, specifically regarding my choice of celibacy. At times, it seems ridiculous that I choose celibacy all because of my faith.
I definitely don't know some of my other brothers like I know my friends. I still consider them my brothers, though. We still fight alongside each other.
I realized something while mowing my lawn: I was the only one pitying myself. The only person doubting my masculinity was me.
It was an SSA guy’s dream, being close friends with ten straight guys. We had our ups and downs, but our community shared a deep intimacy.
My father's Father's Day text message sat on my phone the entire time, still waiting to be read. A message that could potentially ruin my Father's Day.
We all need friendships with people of the same gender and the opposite. We all need friends who are OSA, SSA, or anywhere else on the sexuality spectrum.