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The Mover is a student platform and that means we open our hearts and lend our microphones to our Monarchs to let their voices be heard. We’re open to community submissions from article to artwork because everyone has a story to tell… and we’re here to help share it.
Queer Resilience & Homophobia: From Both Sides By Ember T. Eyred
When I was growing up, people used to make jokes and say that I was a lesbian because I was boyish. I liked sports and always wore baggy clothes. My mom would immediately rush to my “rescue” and tell them I wasn’t and that I was just going through a tomboy phase as every other girl allegedly does. (It wasn’t a phase and not every girl experienced that.) They weren’t wrong but it still made me uncomfortable. I was only seven years old, for God’s sake.
At twelve years old, I made my first queer friend. They were older than me and knew a lot more about the queer community. What I didn’t anticipate was the number of labels being thrown my way; labels I didn’t even understand or fully grasp at that age. I didn’t know I was gay and when I tried to express that, I was slapped with an aggressive “You’re gay!” or “You have to be at least bi,” in return. Instead of getting to experience a beautiful moment of self-discovery, my awakening was rushed. Ripped from me.
Nonetheless, it was still my first encounter with the LGBTQ+ community that wasn’t filled with hate. Every time before that had taught me that gay was bad. I was raised to be homophobic.