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Katie's Coming-Out Story...
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In the summer of 2004, I had just turned 14, and I spent an unforgettable week camping in the Nevada desert with my new Girl Scout troop. There I met my friend Sarah. She was a bit wild, and we spent some time playing pranks on the other girls. One night as we walked back to our tent from the campfire, Sarah dared me to kiss Jasmine, a cute girl who was a bit of a loner.
Not wanting to withdraw from a dare, I nervously snuck up behind Jasmine, leaned over her, and quickly kissed her on the lips. Naturally, she was surprised; she pulled away slightly, but then turned to face me and kissed me back. We pressed our lips together gently and then began to make out more passionately. Jasmine’s lips felt so soft, and her cinnamon chapstick tasted so nice.
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While we were still kissing, Sarah walked over and tapped my shoulder. I was mortified upon remembering that Sarah had been watching. To my surprise, however, Sarah hugged me, reassuring me that it was okay. Realizing that it was curfew and knowing we would be expected to be in our tents, Sarah and I headed to our tent, and Jasmine went to hers. I turned to watch her walk away; I didn’t want her to leave.
Sarah and I sat in our tent talking for quite a while. I admitted to her that I had only been attracted to girls and that she was the first person I had ever told about it. I also disclosed to Sarah that Jasmine was the first girl I had ever kissed. Even though Sarah only liked boys, she was very supportive of my feelings and what I was going through.
As we continued talking, Jasmine startled us by poking her head into our tent. We let her in before she could be caught, and the three of us stayed up talking until sunrise. To my dismay, Jasmine told us that she had a boyfriend. She apologized for having kissed me back, explaining that she had been caught up in the moment. Although I was disappointed, it felt good to finally be talking about the way I felt. The three of us vowed to remain best friends forever, and to this day, we have kept that pact.
Sarah and Jasmine were my support team when I finally felt ready to tell my parents that I was a lesbian, a few weeks after my 18th birthday. My dad was very supportive, but my mom struggled with the news. Upon hearing of my feelings for other women, she seemed to feel as though she had lost a part of me. In time, however, she came to realize that the person I was hadn’t changed.
Before long, I left home for college. There I fell in love with Dana, a law student I met on campus, and we’ve been dating ever since. Recently I introduced Dana to my parents, and when they saw how happy we are together, they welcomed her whole-heartedly. I hope to marry Dana one day, adopt children, and raise a family with her.
My short-term goal, however, is to graduate college. I’m currently taking courses at UNLV toward a degree in psychology. Professionally, I would like to counsel teen lesbians and bisexual girls who are dealing with tough life-issues. My contribution to this site has already given me a taste of how enriching this type of work can be, and for this experience I am very grateful. For answers to hot topics submitted by readers, watch my viewer mailbag videos here.
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