 EricA Boehnlein, Genderqueer*
Senior, Magazine Journalism and Women’s Studies
*For EircA: “Genderqueer means simply that I do not define myself as female or male or even a combination thereof. Although many people use the terms genderqueer and transgender interchangeably, I choose not to define myself as transgender because it often implies a physical transition from one gender to another. I do not see my gender as fitting anywhere on the gender binary spectrum and instead see it as fitting somewhere else, somewhere that can not generally be defined by conventional gender descriptors."
INVOLVEMENTS AT OU:
President of Empowering Women of Ohio, a group that bridges the gap between LGBT and women's issues, LGBT Center--Editor in Chief of OUTwrite: The LGBT Student Journal, Editor in Chief of The Awakening: The Women's Studies Student Journal.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE OUT?
The most important reason for being "out," is that you are given a voice. If you choose to come out, you are able to speak for yourself and for others in the community who, for a variety of reasons, may not be able to come out. At a time in our country when even the most basic rights are being denied to individuals, it is extremely important to have a voice and use it, loudly.
WHY ARE YOU “PROUD”? WHAT ARE YOU MOST “PROUD” OF?
I am proud because I have finally come to terms with my identity and with my sexuality. It is much easier to be proud of your community when you are proud of yourself. I am most proud of our amazing community here at Ohio University. Though we may have been apathetic in the past, our queer community is quickly on its way to becoming strong, active and more proud than ever.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF COMING OUT?
Coming out to friends and teachers was easy. The hardest part was telling my parents. To this day it remains a constant struggle, a topic that is rarely discussed. Initially when I came out, I was met with strong resistance from my parents. Since then they have resisted less, but it still remains a day-to-day battle.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO COME OUT?
Be assertive, be strong, be mentally prepared, and be ready for the worst case scenario. Of course we all hope our parents, friends and family will take our coming out news with smiles on their faces, but many times this is not the case. The most important part about coming out is to only do it when your ready and come out to the people whom you are ready to tell, don't ever let someone out you or force you to come out. This is a decision that you have the right to make for yourself. When you do come out, know that there are many people you can come to for support, particularly on this campus.
THOUGHTS FOR NON-LGBT PEOPLE ABOUT LGBT PEOPLE AND CONCERNS:
To the non-LGBT people who continue to stand with us on this long journey toward equality: Thank you. Thank you for being friends, family members, teachers, peers, coworkers and loving human beings. To those who are not actively fighting for the rights of LGBT individuals, I encourage you to think about what you can do to make a difference. If you think you don’t know anyone who is LGBT, you are probably wrong.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
As I near the end of my college career at OU, I just want to say thank you to the people who saved my life, made me laugh, corrected me when I was wrong, spent countless hours with me "studying" at the library, made sure I didn't take myself too seriously, and most importantly, made these four years the best and most proud years of my life. I love you all.
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