Ohio University

Dick Brackin, Gay 

Retired Administrator and Adjunct Faculty

INVOLVEMENTS AT OU:

"During my study for the Ph.D., I was on a Graduate Assistantship with the office of Residence Life and was the graduate assistant to the Dean. Once finished with classes, I served for one year as Assistant Director of the East Green. In summer of 1971, I joined the advising staff in University College and remained there until I retired in June of 1998.  During that time, I was the director of the Bachelor of General Studies program, later to be known as the Bachelor of Specialized Studies program for 20 some years.  Also I was director of Pre-College, now known as Bobcat Orientation, for 17 years.  In addition on both the graduate and undergraduate level, I taught on an adjunct basis on the Athens, Zanesville, and Chillicothe campuses as well as the two prisons in Chillicothe and the prison in Lancaster and several short term courses in Hong Kong.  I taught from time to time courses in the College of Business, the college of Education, University College and the Academic Advancement Center.  For more than three years following my retirement, I served as the Director of the Ohio University Degree Program in Hong Kong.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE OUT?:

It is important for me to be out simply because I do not want to lie about who I am--I cannot abide a liar. I hated having to try to pretend to be someone whom I was not for all the years that I lived in fear of being "outed".

WHY ARE YOU PROUD?:

I am most proud of the students with whom I have worked, either through advising or teaching, around the world, who have become successful in their professional lives.  Some of them have become successful because I encouraged them to discover themselves and live their lives according to their needs and not the needs of someone else.  In some cases, I served as a role model for them when they were struggling with their own sexual identity.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART ABOUT COMING OUT?:

The most difficult aspect of coming out was conquering the fear of rejection from my family as well as from my colleagues. Always be honest, particularly with yourself.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO COME OUT?:

THOUGHTS FOR NON-LGBT PEOPLE ABOUT LGBT PEOPLE AND CONCERNS:

LGBT people are people.  If you discover that someone in your family or a friend is LGBT, that person has not changed, only your awareness and perception of that person has changed.  If you loved or liked that person before they came out, there is no good reason to stop liking or loving them, just because you know them better.