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Derrick from Connecticut

Bravery means having a clear vision of what is out there in the world and attacking it head on, no matter how dangerous it may be. I don't consider myself brave, but I do brave things sometimes. The bravest thing I've done in life is coming out to my parents; even though it didn't turn out well, I did it.

Two years ago, I was in the closet, scared to be myself because I saw how people treated homosexuals, especially those in my culture. I am Jamaican, and as some of you may know, Jamaica is one of the most homophobic countries in the world. The punishment for being gay there is death. Being raised in a religious, Jamaican household was a challenge, but I managed to hide who I was until I was 16. By then I was sick of hiding who I was and sneaking around with my boyfriend at the time.

So on Easter, (yeah I know not the best time to come out to a bunch of religious family members) I sat my family down and told them the truth. And then all HELL broke loose. I got jumped by my brothers and father (the man who made me), my family kicked me out with nowhere to go and burned all my material belongings. I was disowned. Lost and hurt, I started cutting myself as a way to cope with my anger and soon I attempted suicide using drugs. I spent a year in the hospital; the drugs I took left me in a coma.

When I finally woke up I met amazing people who allowed me to live in their home. They were so kind and non-judgmental. I began going to therapy and now I'm a college student. One day I will be a doctor, have a home, a husband and children and nothing will stop me. I promised myself this, I will always love my children no matter what. I was, you was, we were all born this way and nobody can change that :)