What Does Pride Mean To You?
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Even though kids are coming to terms with their sexuality at much younger ages, they are still facing many challenges. If it's scary for an older teen or adult to consider the possibility of losing friends and family, think how much harder it is for a young teen. The prospect of getting kicked out of your home at twelve or thirteen is much more daunting than at, say, eighteen. Many young people are overcoming these obstacles, however.

"I was just sick of holding the secret in," Matt told me. "It felt like a giant weight on my shoulders that was constantly forcing me to lie and cheat the people I loved. I finally told myself that people's opinion of me might change, but only for the better. The friends that I might lose (which happened to be none, thankfully), would not be missed because they obviously did not love me in the way that I loved them."

Jonathan, who brags he was almost kicked out of first grade for kissing a boy, came out for similar reasons -- he wanted to be honest with his friends about who he was dating. "I didn't want to be someone who couldn't be happy about a date and giggle with my friends because I wasn't out. I wanted them to cheer me on, and tell me that it was gonna be fun, and ask me questions about the guy."

Brandon boiled it all down to a simple: "It just felt right."

The key to each of these boys coming out at such an early age was pride. They were confident enough in who they were to share the truth with those around them. What I found most interesting, however, was the way pride meant something slightly different to each of them.

To Ley, it meant not being scared to be who you are.
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