Tammy / Trevor Howard, Transgender  Freshman, Anthropology
INVOLVEMENTS AT OU:
Open Doors, Anime Club
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE OUT?
It's really hard to try to be who other people want you to be when you know that's not who you are. If you're not being true to yourself then you'll never be truly happy, and in the end, all the 'what-if's' in your life will really depress you.
WHY ARE YOU “PROUD”? WHAT ARE YOU MOST “PROUD” OF?
I'm proud that I finally openly admitted my true feelings to others for the first time. I'm most proud that not only did I admit to my feelings, I’ve begun to act on them as well so that I can finally reflect my true self.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF COMING OUT?
Telling my family really scared me. They are very traditional in most of their beliefs, so my first admissions about who I really am were brushed off as a joke that they didn't think was funny.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO COME OUT?
It's important to think things through before you act. What are some of the possible outcomes when you tell your family or friends? Do you understand yourself well enough to try to explain who you are in a way that is clear to others who really don't know that much about the LGBT community? What if they react negatively to the truth? Are you ready to lose some of them? Hopefully the people close to you will understand. After all, when it comes to coming out, all a person really can do is hope.
THOUGHTS FOR NON-LGBT PEOPLE ABOUT LGBT PEOPLE AND CONCERNS:
If you don't know that much about the LGBT community or you're somewhat uncomfortable around LGBT people, just try to be understanding and considerate of them. That's all I ask.
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