In a small town where marrying a high school sweetheart is the norm, being gay felt like being an outcast from birth. I carried that burden.
Being outed at age 12 led to relentless bullying and deep depression, leading me to believe that my only escape from Vinton was in a coffin.
I longed for the typical teenage experiences like dating and holding hands, but those dreams were shadowed by the realities of my sexual orientation.
With same-sex marriage illegal in nearly all states, the thought of a future with a girlfriend seemed bleak and practically impossible to envision.
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