Lok A Si Raat eres > Si Goatees PhO Saese ae rts iw NP ee RC MRR Gea aagee: oe a ee ai Re Pei Se mee Cg ee ie ‘ai ere Rojee Ree th Steps BGt re: ee : Bete ot. cceeioal es ae eis Seay An ae eno Ta ri So Se ae in 1 Giessen PORE A ST ge Fue DE Re OP Lg ERE Rs Ra ae Lid CAME OTE Cts eee I SER STs GESRRELS at he NL EE BEET Te tes eres ache Ps oe Rapes Beg Le oni eR eee Ws Gigs gee ie) ee RO SUING ES tir Pel eee et EI Aig ea RAR LP eee ATOR Peg Bali ine a tee) vig i asain ans Fs ogee ois alts Se Sa, eRe a NER Riu Re ea Le = 3 SAAR clef epee Mt GLEE By re rar SORA ee ee ciaae tea att aaa uae as Be ots ae et Oey orc SRD otha PAu are Ayo yaar : 2 SE Tihs LS ee al BFP aA Nee ‘ i! L .: tin hes Sig ET = ee = i = , Seg gy % . = c igi: = —— - sae a) pent ee oe a Riba lg” , bd So: hs At ie sae * «ll ae SOA TN sa Narain aa et iy eas aes cigs De RE Oe ata EME NCR CULE $ a Pi = Leda SIE ede RAE + egos 3 ; side ie, f wre z _— = ets F + xs eS o se hind Tea SSP RSS LO OSS RS PN RE. 3 eT - beh ity. ou i Sais oa ‘ Bae Bee it oF ae ™ aie a a Sg igen fos bia ry ae Rats aia aN ‘ oe : oft th5; es: Fe Be on ee} * BK: oe? ip 8 CRA eee ee Lil. iS oaeiaeid Nn ee Pie Weal eae Te Bates PC see Bee | Dy ced x = 4; thee bi) Diese ed a cule tg © fe SES ASAE, Riera se? od ee ei ae Are ee ‘ hy Rg be 9 in nee Me be aed Secees | Sieh ol fos Bhs. « es Frees: li f . 5 ge ase) ee p eA eee tee. ye 27° 20a © eke Pi, pe ey I ary PSE eMC Am PE ee EM ny iis) * 8s te ik : ra Gee EPS er te ft: « ‘ Reagan Cote, News Editor Throughout my term as the News Editor for The Confluence, I want to use my position to be as open and honest with the readers as possible. I want to be someone you guys can really know, as opposed to just being a face with a name. In the spirit of Pride Month, I thought I might as well share my own personal coming out story. I figured, what better way to get up- close-and-personal than to describe, in detail, how I realized I am attracted to people of the same gender? In my at- tempt to dig up my history regarding my sexuality, my hope is that I will be- come closer to the readers, and through that, I may be able to reach people who can relate to my experience. I know that through discovering my sexuality, media was my main source of not only information—but of comfort as well. The process of discovering who you are is not always an easy one, and may feel incredibly lonely at times. I want to help who I can to make this journey feel like something more normal than what others may have made it sound like. So, here goes nothing. I hope y/all enjoy. It all began at age six; maybe seven... or eight, to be honest [ am not exactly sure. Anyhow, I remember having a sleepover with my two best friends. It was probably around midnight, which was nearing the appropriate time to go to bed. The lights were out, the room dark, and I—bundled in a pink sleeping bag detailed with white fluff around the edges. As silence trickled down the walls previously filled with gigeles and laughter, I ask, “If I was gay, would you guys still be friends with me?” To which I get two responses: Friend #1 responds, without missing a beat, “No.” Friend #2 then says, “I mean I would, it would just be weird.” I respond with a calm “Okay,” leaving that as the final word of the evening. All thoughts regarding ro- mance with a gitl were stuffed deep into my closet, hidden underneath my piles of crocks, nail polishes, and head bands. Never to be touched again. That is, until I decided to do some spring cleaning, about eight years lat- et. That was when a whole shit ton of dust, dirt, and emotions came out, euns-a-blazing. Though things were no longer