Walk A Mile In My Rainbow Shoes - Jaden's Story

Growing up, I never really felt like I fit in with my friends or the kids I grew up with. In middle school, some of the worst years for many pre-teens, I joined the track and field team with some of my friends. What most people didn’t know, is that I also joined the choir ensemble and was one of the only guys. I was afraid of what other people would think so I didn’t tell any of my friends, and this action ended up starting a pattern of hiding who I was from people I was close to.

One of my favorite high school advisors talked about different clubs and resources that our school had to offer during my freshman year’s Welcome Week. One of the clubs she mentioned was Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). It wasn’t until this point that I started coming to terms with who I was and why I felt so different from others around me. This club became my new safe haven where I felt like I could truly be myself without fear of what other people thought of me.

Once I was in my junior year of high school, I made the decision to come out to all of my family and friends. I still remember the feeling of extreme anxiety while Facetiming one of my friends and making a pros and cons list for coming out. Many of the cons just consisted of worrying about what people would say to me or if they would start to act differently around me, but in the end, I went through with it. It was one of the best decisions of my life. From this point on I felt the most like myself than I ever had before.

During the college search process, a big component was an LGBTQ+ friendly campus where I could be myself without the constant fear of feeling like I’m weird or different. Eastern Michigan University happened to be one of the colleges that I was researching because it checked off the majority of my boxes for what I wanted in a university, not just for the academics, or opportunities for internships, but because of how diverse this university is and how it has so many amazing resources for students of all backgrounds to have and utilize. When it came time to actually see the campus and go on a tour, I was mesmerized by the sheer number of students coming from all over the country and different countries around the world. Not only this but also how LGBTQ-friendly everyone is and how accepting this place truly is. It was at this moment that I knew Eastern Michigan was going to be my new home.

It was during my freshman year of college that I started to learn more and more about the LGBTQ+ community, the history of oppression, and the culture of being a gay man in America. I was very happy that Eastern offered me and others like me a safe community to be

ourselves whether it be in our SPECTRUM living-learning community for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities. It truly amazed me at how open everyone is here and that no one is ashamed to be their true selves. Something I’ve always wanted to do and now I have that.

One of my favorite parts of college so far is definitely more on the social aspect of things. My new favorite activity is to watch drag shows whether it’s RuPaul’s Drag Race or an in-person drag performance at Necto in Ann Arbor. I’m learning something new every day about drag culture and how it was originally formed and now I’m slowly working through all of the drag Houses (my favorite being the House of Edwards).

My one message for any incoming students or any prospective students would be to be your fierce self and don’t let anyone stop you from being you. If you’re in the college search process, make sure to not only look at the academics side of things but also check out any support services that would interest you whether that be an LGBT resource center, a women’s resource center, etc. This is a really big decision to make that creates the next chapter in your life, so just make sure wherever you end up, it feels like a homE.

LGBTQ+ Student Resources:

• LGBT Resource Center

• Spectrum Living Learning Community