Watch How One Gay Teen and His Straight Bt Friend Had the Bt Prom Ever | Teen Vogue

Contents:

• WATCH: THIS SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY TEEN LOVE WILL MELT YOUR HEART
• A GAY TEEN DISVERS HIMSELF AT SUMMER MP THIS FLAMER FIRST LOOK
• ‘I FELL FOR THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN’: A FORBIDN GAY LOVE VIO GO VIRALLOVE STORYSGER-SONGWRER TOM GOSS AND DIRECTOR MICHAEL SERRATO REIMAGE DTY SPRGFIELD’S ‘SON OF A PREACHER MAN’ AS A TALE OF A TEENAGE GAY LOVE—AND ’S ROOTED PAFUL REALY FOR BOTH MEN.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 13, 2017 4:31PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 17, 2016 12:01AM EDT VIA YOUTUBEWHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE DTY SPRGFIELD ORIGAL OF “SON OF A PREACHER MAN,” FALLG FOR THE SAID-SON SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN—“THE ONLY BOY WHO ULD EVER TEACH ME/WAS THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN”—WH ALL THOSE JOYO TMPETS, THE CLARN ENURAGEMENT OF SPRGFIELD’S BACKG SGERS, AND THE LIC PROMISE OF “STEALG KISS WH ME ON THE SLY.”IN SGER-SONGWRER TOM GOSS’S MOVG AND BETIFULLY POSED TORCH-SONG REVERSNG OF “PREACHER MAN,” THE SONG TAK ON A DARKER HUE FEATURG A FORBIDN GAY LOVE AFFAIR. THE SONG IMMEDIATELY ED AN ONLE FLURRY OF MENT WHEN SURFACED A UPLE OF DAYS AGO.HERE, FALLG FOR THE PREACHER’S SON MEANS TWO TEENAGE BOYS N SMACK UP AGAST VIC, EVANGELIL HOMOPHOBIA. THE VIO TAK YOUNG LOVE, ATTEMPTED SUICI, PARENTAL REJECTN, RELIG JUDGMENT, AND—HURRAH—UPLIFTG SURVIVAL. THE VIO’S DIRECTOR, MICHAEL SERRATO, REALLY DID FALL LOVE WH THE PREACHER’S SON, WHILE GOSS TRIED TO M SUICI. HERE THE TWO MEN TALK ABOUT THEIR DRAMATIC, VERY REAL EXPERIENC BEHD THIS REIMAGED CLASSIC. MICHAEL SERRATOTHE DAILY BEAST: YOU REALLY DID FALL LOVE WH THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN?MICHAEL SERRATO: Y, I GREW UP WH AN EVANGELIL CHURCH LONG BEACH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. MY DAD RAN THE SPORTS MISTRY AND PRISON MISTRY: HE WAS A TOUGH DU. I WASN’T. I DID FALL LOVE WH THE SON OF A FAIRLY FAMO PREACHER THE AREA—BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THE BIG HUGE MOMENT THE BOYS HAVE THE VIO. OUR RELATNSHIP WAS MORE PUBCENT AND SECRETIVE. I DON’T THK HE’S EVEN OUT OF THE CLOSET NOW.HOW WAS GROWG UP?VERY TRMATIC. MY DAD VIEWED MY MASCULY, OR LACK THEREOF, A VERY NEGATIVE WAY. HE WAS VLENT, I WAS IGHTENED OF HIM. I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THIS BOY AND I RAN OFF TO THE SUNSET TOGETHER, BUT THE REALY WAS THAT I THOUGHT LIFE WOULD BE OVER IF ANYONE EVER FOUND OUT ABOUT MY RELATNSHIP, OR WHAT I PERCEIVED AS A RELATNSHIP. HE WAS FELY ONE OF MY BT IENDS AND A SWEET GUY.HOW OLD WERE YOU?I’M 45 NOW, AND 13/14 THEN. AT THE TIME AIDS WAS STARTG TO BEE A HEADLE. AT OUR CHURCH WAS A BIG TOPIC, WH TALK OF “SEXUAL VIANTS.” HONTLY I WAS TERRIFIED. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, BEG GAY, I WAS WALKG AROUND WH THIS NCERO TUMOR I ULDN’T SHAKE. THAT’S WHY WAS SO IMPORTANT TO DO THIS VIO: I WANTED TO TELL GAY KIDS, “YOU’RE FE. YOU’RE GOG TO BE OK.” THERE WAS NOTHG LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS A KID. I ME OUT AT 19, AND TOOK SO MUCH TIME TO SHAKE OFF THE SELF-LOATHG, SHAME, AND GUILT THAT I WAS RAISED . IT WAS BILATG. I WAS NSTANTLY TRYG TO FD APPROVAL BEE I FELT SO REPULSIVE AS A PERSON.WHAT DID YOUR DAD DO TO YOU?I REMEMBER GETTG H BEE I FOLD TOWELS “LIKE A GIRL.” I WAS WASHG DISH ONE DAY, BUT I WASN’T WASHG DISH “LIKE A MAN,” AND DAD STABBED ME WH A FORK. I WAS TERRIFIED ALL THE TIME. I WOULD ASK MYSELF, “AM I DOG THIS LIKE A MAN?” EVEN AS AN ADULT GUY NOW, I’M NOT AN CREDIBLY FLAMBOYANT PERSON—BUT I FELT SO SQUASHED THEN. I FELT LIKE AT EVERY TURN, “THERE’S THIS THG ABOUT ME THAT THEY HATE.” IT REALLY TOUCHED ALL ASPECTS OF MY LIFE. I ULDN’T BE TOO CLOSE TO MY MOM, BEE OF “TUGGG AT HER APRON STRGS.” I WAS GROWG UP AS NOT WHAT THEY THOUGHT A BOY SHOULD BE LIKE.YOU WERE SRED OF YOUR DAD?I FELY FELT PHYSILLY AAID. I WAS JT TERRIFIED WHEN HE ME HOME. ALL I ULD THK WAS, “DO I LOOK LIKE A GUY?” AT THE SAME TIME I WANTED TO PUT ON SHOWS AND WEAR STUM. I THK A LOT OF YOUNG GAY BOYS END UP SEARCHG FOR WHO THEY ARE NOT. I REMEMBER PLAYG EVERY ANIZED SPORT AND JT MISERABLY, NSTANTLY FAILG.DID YOUR FAY REJECT YOU?Y, MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE BOTH VASTATED WHEN I ME OUT. WE SPENT A GOOD 10 YEARS WH LTLE OR NO MUNITN. ONE OF THE THARTIC THGS WAS MY SISTER RAISG A GENR-FLUID SON, WHICH SHE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT, RAISG MY RABOW.MY PARENTS LOVED MY NEPHEW SO MUCH. THAT HELPED THEM GROW A LOT. MY MOM DIED SADLY THIS YEAR, AND WH A LOT OF GUILT I THK. RIGHT BEFORE SHE DIED, SHE SENT ME A RD SAYG, “I MA A LOT OF MISTAK.” I FEEL SO BAD FOR HER. SHE REALIZED HOW MUCH THEY FUCKED UP. I THK THE GUILT SNAPPED HER A B. I TALK TO MY DAD, BUT KEEP HIM AT AN ARM’S DISTANCE… PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IF THEY’RE HURTG THEIR KIDS, THEY’RE HURTG THEMSELV. HOW DID YOU PE AS A KID?AS AN ADULT, FDG MY ARTISTIC VOICE HELPED. AS A KID, I WAS THE FUNNY GUY, THE STORYTELLER. IT WAS A FENSE MECHANISM. I WAS SO SPERATE TO BE LIKED. I WAS NSTANTLY THE CLASS CLOWN. I FELT SO HATED AT HOME, I THOUGHT, “WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO BE LOVED?”WHAT ABOUT YOUR ATTU TO FAH NOW?I FELY FEEL SPIRUALLY EMPTY. I WENT THROUGH THE FUCKG WRGER, SO I FEEL LEERY OF ALL. I THK, “I WAS A FUCKG KID, WHAT WERE YOU DOG TO ME?” AFTER I ME OUT, I GOT MORE NFINCE, ALTHOUGH TOOK ME A WHILE TO REALIZE, WH THERAPY, HOW MUCH ABE I HAD SUFFERED.WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER GAY KIDS GROWG UP NOW?I WOULD SAY THAT I KNOW PEOPLE SAY, “STAY THE CLOSET.” I’M SO GLAD I DIDN’T MARCH DOWN THAT PATH, BEE—NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IS—BEG MYSELF AND FDG MYSELF WASN’T SO BAD.HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR DAD NOW?HE HASN’T SAID SORRY. HE TELLS ME HE LOV ME NOW, AND NEVER DID AS A KID. I’VE DONE SOME STUFF ON TV, AND HE LIK THE CELEBRY ASPECT OF THAT. I THK HE’S PROUD OF ME. HE’S PROUD OF HOW STRONG MY SISTER AND I ARE.WE DON'T HAVE THE BT RELATNSHIP—NOT THAT ’S BAD, THERE’S NO YELLG… I THK HE WOULD LIKE TO BE CLOSER. BUT I HAVE BIG TST ISSU WH HIM, AND I DON’T KNOW IF THAT WILL EVER CHANGE. IT WAS VERY PAFUL. I’VE FELY FIVEN HIM, BUT I N’T FET . IT WAS HORRIBLE. I WANT KIDS TO KNOW THAT BEG GAY IS AWOME. THERE ARE A LOT OF HORRIBLE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAY ’S WRONG, BUT YOU’RE GOG TO BE OK.TOM GOSSDB: YOU’VE HAD QUE THE RPONSE TO THIS VIO.TOM GOSS: YEAH, I’M REALLY RELIEVED PEOPLE HAVE RPOND SO POSIVELY.YOU KNEW THE ORIGAL DTY SPRGFIELD SONG?YEAH, I GREW UP SOUTHEASTERN WISNS, AND LISTENED TO “THE OLDI” ALL DAY WH MY MOTHER. THEY HAVE A LOT OF CHERISHED MEMORI FOR ME. I DIDN’T REALIZE WHAT THE SONG WAS ABOUT BACK THEN OF URSE. YOU’RE JT SGG ALONG, WHEN THAT IS A MUNAL, FUN, FAY THG TO DO.HOW DID THIS VERSN E ABOUT?THE VIO AND VIO NCEPT, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, WAS DONE LONG BEFORE THE SONG. I WANTED TO REVENT THE SONG A WAY THAT PAID HOMAGE TO THE ORIGAL, BUT WAS ALSO DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND OF SELF.HOW IS TOBGRAPHIL FOR YOU?MY EXPERIENCE WAS OF BEG SOMEBODY WHO AS A YOUNG MAN FELT SO MISUNRSTOOD, UNHEARD, UNLOVED, THAT I ATTEMPTED SUICI AT AROUND 13.JT AS ONE OF THE BOYS ATTEMPTS THE VIO. WHY DID YOU ATTEMPT ?I THK I ALWAYS FELT DIFFERENT. LOOKG BACK ON , SEXUALY FELY HAD A ROLE TO PLAY, FEELG AS IF I WAS BEG TREATED DIFFERENTLY AS A RULT OF , NOT UNRSTANDG WHY THAT WAS, FEELG LIKE “THE OTHER” A LOT, FEELG LIKE BEG PART OF THE MARGS. THAT’S REALLY HARD AS A KID. IT WAS A REALLY ROUGH PERD OF MY LIFE. MY PARENTS DIVORCED. I GOT REALLY UPSET ABOUT THAT, AND EVERYTHG SNOWBALLED.HOW DID YOU ATTEMPT SUICI?I CID TO KILL MYSELF BEE I FELT NOBODY WOULD MISS ME. IT WAS A VERY DARK MOMENT. I REMEMBER THKG, “I’M GOG TO TAKE THIS BOTTLE OF PILLS, THEN I’M GOG TO CUT MYSELF.” WE HAD A VERY TALL HOE, SO I PLANNED TO JUMP OUT OF THE WDOW AT THE TOP OF THE HOE. I REMEMBER THKG, “I’M SO CLEVER. PEOPLE WILL BE SO BY TENDG TO MY WOUNDS, THEY WON’T KNOW I’M DYG SLOWLY OM THE SI OUT.” THKG ABOUT NOW MAK ME WANT TO CRY FOR THAT PERSON.HOW FAR DID YOU GO WH THE PLAN?I TOOK A BOTTLE OF PILLS, AND THEN PRETTY MUCH ALMOST IMMEDIATELY REGRETTED , AND UNRSTOOD THE WEIGHT OF WHAT I HAD JT DONE AND TOLD MY MOM, AND WENT TO THE HOSPAL, AND GOT MY STOMACH PUMPED. THEN THEY PUMPED CHARAL TO MY STOMACH AFTER THEY TOOK ALL THE FLUIDS OUT. I SPENT A UPLE OF DAYS HOSPAL.AND THEN THERAPY?I WAS LOT OF THERAPY. TO BE HONT, WAS ONLY WHEN I PICKED UP A GUAR AND STARTED WRG SONGS WHEN I WAS 18 THAT THE REAL THERAPY BEGAN.UNTIL THAT POT, MY MONS WERE MANIFTG ANGER, FIGHTG A LOT, GETTG ARRTED A LOT. I GOT EXPELLED OM 9TH GRA. I WAS A GYMNAST, THEN A WRTLER, AND I GOT A LOT OF AGGRSN OUT THAT WAY. BUT I WAS VERY TROVERTED. WHEN I PICKED UP A GUAR I STARTED PROCSG SO MANY THGS. I WRTLED RIGHT THROUGH LLEGE, AND I WAS HANGG AROUND WH A LOT OF SNTILY-CLAD MEN ALL THE TIME BUT WASN'T FDG MYSELF ATTRACTED TO THEM.SO, HOW WAS YOUR SEXUALY AWAKENED?I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS ASEXUAL FOR A LONG TIME, UNTIL I CID TO BE A CATHOLIC PRIT. I DIDN’T THK BEG CELIBATE WOULD BE A BIG AL AS I WAS ALREADY ASEXUAL. AT SEMARY I FELL LOVE WH ONE OF MY CLASSMAT. FALLG LOVE WAS AND IS AND WILL NTUE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST BETIFUL AND POWERFUL THGS THAT N EXIST THE WORLD. IT’S HEALED ME MORE WAYS THAN I N SAY.THAT CERTALY THROUGH THE VIO TO THE SONG.I LOVE THAT THE KIDS THE VIO ARE LOVE, AND ’S PURE AND NOCENT AND WHOLOME AND ’S UPLIFTG, AND ’S ALL THOSE THGS EVEN AS PEOPLE ARE TRYG TO TEAR THAT APART.AND THE KIDS LIVE AND LOVE AT THE END.ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS THE FUTURE WE WANT TO BE PATG. IT’S HARD. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LGBT KIDS WHO HAVE MTED SUICI. BUT MANY KIDS HAVEN’T. MANY HAVE FALLEN LOVE AND FOLLOWED LOVE. THAT’S THE STORY WE WANTED TO TELL. WE BROUGHT THE (LGBT YOUTH SUPPORT ANIZATN) TREVOR PROJECT BEE WE DIDN’T WANT TO TRIGGER ANYTHG BAD, AND WE ALSO WANTED TO SHOW THE PA PEOPLE GO THROUGH. AND WE WANTED TO BE POSIVE.HOW DID YOU NVCE THE CHURCH THE VIO TO LET YOU FILM THERE?IT’S THE LTLE WHE CHAPEL BURBANK. I SPOKE TO THE PASTOR AND TOLD HIM WHAT WE WERE DOG. IT’S A WELG AND AFFIRMG CHURCH, AND HE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOG AND WAS SUPPORTIVE. THE SONG AND VIO’S MSAGE IS TO TST THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE. LOVE WHO YOU LOVE REALLY STRONGLY, EVEN IF THE ODDS ARE AGAST YOU.HOW RELIG WERE YOU?I HAD A MEDIUM-RELIG HOEHOLD. MY CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE WAS VERY LIBERAL. I NEVER GOT THE KD OF SERMON YOU SEE THE VIO. I FELT MARGALIZED FEELG ASEXUAL. IT MAY BE HARD BEG GAY, BUT AT LEAST THERE’S A MUNY OF THAT. IF YOU’RE ASEXUAL, YOU’RE THIS ROBOT THAT NOBODY UNRSTANDS. AND WH ME, I WAS ATTRACTED TO BEARS [OLR, HAIRY, BIGGER GUYS]. PART OF MY SLOWNS G TO THIS WAS THAT I WAS HANGG AROUND WH THE SUPER-YOUNG, SUPER-F WRTLERS, BUT I WASN’T ATTRACTED TO THEM BEE THEY WERE NOT THE KD OF MEN I WAS ATTRACTED TO.AND SO THE CLASSMATE AT SEMARY…?Y, HE WAS A BEAR. WE FELL LOVE, AND MANY WAYS WAS—LIKE THE VIO—SO NOCENT AND PURE AND WE WERE BOTH VIRGS. I WAS 23 AND HE WAS 38. HE WAS FELY MORE REPRSED. HE HAD HELD ALL AT BAY, WHILE I HAD WANRED THROUGH LIFE IGNORANT.I DIDN'T HAVE LOT OF TURMOIL AROUND . I JT THOUGHT, “WOW, THIS AMAZG, WHY WOULD GOD NOT WANT THIS MY LIFE?” I THK I LEFT MY SPIRUAL SI BEHD. BUT I WANTED TO BEE A PRIT TO WORK AROUND RENCILIATN, AND I HOPE MY WORK, THIS VIO, HELPS RENCILE PEOPLE WH THEIR OWN PASTS.WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIFE NOW?I’M MARRIED TO MIKE, MY HBAND OF 10 YEARS. HE’S VERY PROUD OF ME, AND WHOUT DOUBT MY BIGGT SUPPORTER.WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST SURPRISG RPONSE TO THE VIO SO FAR?I GOT AN EMAIL OM ONE OF DTY SPRGFIELD’S BACKG SGERS TODAY. THEY SAID THEY HAD SUNG FOR HER FOR YEARS, AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS, AND END BY SAYG “THANK YOU.” IT JT BLEW MY MD.AT THE END, THE BOYS HEAD OFF TO THE SUNSET, THEN MORPH TO BEG ADULTS STILL HAND--HAND.ONE OF THOSE GUYS IS ME, SO I IMAGE (LGHS) THAT ONE OF THEM GO OFF TO PLAY GUAR. IN MY STORY THEY LEARN TO TEGRATE SPIRUALY AND SEXUALY. THEY FALL LOVE WH EACH OTHER EPER AND EPER. TIM TEEMAN
• HOW ONE GAY TEEN AND HIS STRAIGHT BT FRIEND HAD THE BT PROM EVER
• 100 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF GAY MEN LOVE
• THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS
• 10 GREAT GAY ROMANCE FILMS

WATCH: THIS SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY TEEN LOVE WILL MELT YOUR HEART

Seventeen-year-old Kim Ho was one of the wners of the 2012 monologue petn Love Byt, held by Frh Ink, a velopment program for emergg playwrights om the Atralian Theatre for Young one of the petn's wners, Kim was assisted wh transformg his origal three-mute vio entry, Transcennce -- which tells the story of a young gay teen stgglg wh his sexualy and the love he feels for a boy his French class -- to the betiful ne-mute short film The Language of Love. "Homosexualy is still a sensive topic, and I immediately felt prsured to wre somethg that was ndid but not disrpectful to the LGBT muny, " Ho explas on the Frh Ink webse. Related: 15 Gay Romantic Films That Will Make You Believe Happily Ever After(Imag urty of their rpective studs).

This 2018 romantic edy-drama follows Simon, a 17-year-old who has not yet e out to his iends or fay and fds himself nversatg onle wh an anonymo gay stunt who go by the name "Blue.

A GAY TEEN DISVERS HIMSELF AT SUMMER MP THIS FLAMER FIRST LOOK

Based loosely on Shakpeare's Henry IV, Part 1 & 2, and Henry V plays, this movie shows the journey of gay htlers Mike and Stt, and their search for Mike's mother. UFO enthiast Brian reprs the memory and nvc himself he was a victim an alien abductn, whereas Neil mov to New York to seek fulfillment as a gay sex worker. A queer cult classic, the film centers on a gay teen growg up ral England the 1990s.

Somewhat based on Dolan's life, the film follows the plited, sometim tense relatnship between a young gay man and his mother.

‘I FELL FOR THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN’: A FORBIDN GAY LOVE VIO GO VIRALLOVE STORYSGER-SONGWRER TOM GOSS AND DIRECTOR MICHAEL SERRATO REIMAGE DTY SPRGFIELD’S ‘SON OF A PREACHER MAN’ AS A TALE OF A TEENAGE GAY LOVE—AND ’S ROOTED PAFUL REALY FOR BOTH MEN.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 13, 2017 4:31PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 17, 2016 12:01AM EDT VIA YOUTUBEWHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE DTY SPRGFIELD ORIGAL OF “SON OF A PREACHER MAN,” FALLG FOR THE SAID-SON SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN—“THE ONLY BOY WHO ULD EVER TEACH ME/WAS THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN”—WH ALL THOSE JOYO TMPETS, THE CLARN ENURAGEMENT OF SPRGFIELD’S BACKG SGERS, AND THE LIC PROMISE OF “STEALG KISS WH ME ON THE SLY.”IN SGER-SONGWRER TOM GOSS’S MOVG AND BETIFULLY POSED TORCH-SONG REVERSNG OF “PREACHER MAN,” THE SONG TAK ON A DARKER HUE FEATURG A FORBIDN GAY LOVE AFFAIR. THE SONG IMMEDIATELY ED AN ONLE FLURRY OF MENT WHEN SURFACED A UPLE OF DAYS AGO.HERE, FALLG FOR THE PREACHER’S SON MEANS TWO TEENAGE BOYS N SMACK UP AGAST VIC, EVANGELIL HOMOPHOBIA. THE VIO TAK YOUNG LOVE, ATTEMPTED SUICI, PARENTAL REJECTN, RELIG JUDGMENT, AND—HURRAH—UPLIFTG SURVIVAL. THE VIO’S DIRECTOR, MICHAEL SERRATO, REALLY DID FALL LOVE WH THE PREACHER’S SON, WHILE GOSS TRIED TO M SUICI. HERE THE TWO MEN TALK ABOUT THEIR DRAMATIC, VERY REAL EXPERIENC BEHD THIS REIMAGED CLASSIC. MICHAEL SERRATOTHE DAILY BEAST: YOU REALLY DID FALL LOVE WH THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN?MICHAEL SERRATO: Y, I GREW UP WH AN EVANGELIL CHURCH LONG BEACH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. MY DAD RAN THE SPORTS MISTRY AND PRISON MISTRY: HE WAS A TOUGH DU. I WASN’T. I DID FALL LOVE WH THE SON OF A FAIRLY FAMO PREACHER THE AREA—BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THE BIG HUGE MOMENT THE BOYS HAVE THE VIO. OUR RELATNSHIP WAS MORE PUBCENT AND SECRETIVE. I DON’T THK HE’S EVEN OUT OF THE CLOSET NOW.HOW WAS GROWG UP?VERY TRMATIC. MY DAD VIEWED MY MASCULY, OR LACK THEREOF, A VERY NEGATIVE WAY. HE WAS VLENT, I WAS IGHTENED OF HIM. I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THIS BOY AND I RAN OFF TO THE SUNSET TOGETHER, BUT THE REALY WAS THAT I THOUGHT LIFE WOULD BE OVER IF ANYONE EVER FOUND OUT ABOUT MY RELATNSHIP, OR WHAT I PERCEIVED AS A RELATNSHIP. HE WAS FELY ONE OF MY BT IENDS AND A SWEET GUY.HOW OLD WERE YOU?I’M 45 NOW, AND 13/14 THEN. AT THE TIME AIDS WAS STARTG TO BEE A HEADLE. AT OUR CHURCH WAS A BIG TOPIC, WH TALK OF “SEXUAL VIANTS.” HONTLY I WAS TERRIFIED. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, BEG GAY, I WAS WALKG AROUND WH THIS NCERO TUMOR I ULDN’T SHAKE. THAT’S WHY WAS SO IMPORTANT TO DO THIS VIO: I WANTED TO TELL GAY KIDS, “YOU’RE FE. YOU’RE GOG TO BE OK.” THERE WAS NOTHG LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS A KID. I ME OUT AT 19, AND TOOK SO MUCH TIME TO SHAKE OFF THE SELF-LOATHG, SHAME, AND GUILT THAT I WAS RAISED . IT WAS BILATG. I WAS NSTANTLY TRYG TO FD APPROVAL BEE I FELT SO REPULSIVE AS A PERSON.WHAT DID YOUR DAD DO TO YOU?I REMEMBER GETTG H BEE I FOLD TOWELS “LIKE A GIRL.” I WAS WASHG DISH ONE DAY, BUT I WASN’T WASHG DISH “LIKE A MAN,” AND DAD STABBED ME WH A FORK. I WAS TERRIFIED ALL THE TIME. I WOULD ASK MYSELF, “AM I DOG THIS LIKE A MAN?” EVEN AS AN ADULT GUY NOW, I’M NOT AN CREDIBLY FLAMBOYANT PERSON—BUT I FELT SO SQUASHED THEN. I FELT LIKE AT EVERY TURN, “THERE’S THIS THG ABOUT ME THAT THEY HATE.” IT REALLY TOUCHED ALL ASPECTS OF MY LIFE. I ULDN’T BE TOO CLOSE TO MY MOM, BEE OF “TUGGG AT HER APRON STRGS.” I WAS GROWG UP AS NOT WHAT THEY THOUGHT A BOY SHOULD BE LIKE.YOU WERE SRED OF YOUR DAD?I FELY FELT PHYSILLY AAID. I WAS JT TERRIFIED WHEN HE ME HOME. ALL I ULD THK WAS, “DO I LOOK LIKE A GUY?” AT THE SAME TIME I WANTED TO PUT ON SHOWS AND WEAR STUM. I THK A LOT OF YOUNG GAY BOYS END UP SEARCHG FOR WHO THEY ARE NOT. I REMEMBER PLAYG EVERY ANIZED SPORT AND JT MISERABLY, NSTANTLY FAILG.DID YOUR FAY REJECT YOU?Y, MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE BOTH VASTATED WHEN I ME OUT. WE SPENT A GOOD 10 YEARS WH LTLE OR NO MUNITN. ONE OF THE THARTIC THGS WAS MY SISTER RAISG A GENR-FLUID SON, WHICH SHE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT, RAISG MY RABOW.MY PARENTS LOVED MY NEPHEW SO MUCH. THAT HELPED THEM GROW A LOT. MY MOM DIED SADLY THIS YEAR, AND WH A LOT OF GUILT I THK. RIGHT BEFORE SHE DIED, SHE SENT ME A RD SAYG, “I MA A LOT OF MISTAK.” I FEEL SO BAD FOR HER. SHE REALIZED HOW MUCH THEY FUCKED UP. I THK THE GUILT SNAPPED HER A B. I TALK TO MY DAD, BUT KEEP HIM AT AN ARM’S DISTANCE… PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IF THEY’RE HURTG THEIR KIDS, THEY’RE HURTG THEMSELV. HOW DID YOU PE AS A KID?AS AN ADULT, FDG MY ARTISTIC VOICE HELPED. AS A KID, I WAS THE FUNNY GUY, THE STORYTELLER. IT WAS A FENSE MECHANISM. I WAS SO SPERATE TO BE LIKED. I WAS NSTANTLY THE CLASS CLOWN. I FELT SO HATED AT HOME, I THOUGHT, “WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO BE LOVED?”WHAT ABOUT YOUR ATTU TO FAH NOW?I FELY FEEL SPIRUALLY EMPTY. I WENT THROUGH THE FUCKG WRGER, SO I FEEL LEERY OF ALL. I THK, “I WAS A FUCKG KID, WHAT WERE YOU DOG TO ME?” AFTER I ME OUT, I GOT MORE NFINCE, ALTHOUGH TOOK ME A WHILE TO REALIZE, WH THERAPY, HOW MUCH ABE I HAD SUFFERED.WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER GAY KIDS GROWG UP NOW?I WOULD SAY THAT I KNOW PEOPLE SAY, “STAY THE CLOSET.” I’M SO GLAD I DIDN’T MARCH DOWN THAT PATH, BEE—NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IS—BEG MYSELF AND FDG MYSELF WASN’T SO BAD.HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR DAD NOW?HE HASN’T SAID SORRY. HE TELLS ME HE LOV ME NOW, AND NEVER DID AS A KID. I’VE DONE SOME STUFF ON TV, AND HE LIK THE CELEBRY ASPECT OF THAT. I THK HE’S PROUD OF ME. HE’S PROUD OF HOW STRONG MY SISTER AND I ARE.WE DON'T HAVE THE BT RELATNSHIP—NOT THAT ’S BAD, THERE’S NO YELLG… I THK HE WOULD LIKE TO BE CLOSER. BUT I HAVE BIG TST ISSU WH HIM, AND I DON’T KNOW IF THAT WILL EVER CHANGE. IT WAS VERY PAFUL. I’VE FELY FIVEN HIM, BUT I N’T FET . IT WAS HORRIBLE. I WANT KIDS TO KNOW THAT BEG GAY IS AWOME. THERE ARE A LOT OF HORRIBLE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAY ’S WRONG, BUT YOU’RE GOG TO BE OK.TOM GOSSDB: YOU’VE HAD QUE THE RPONSE TO THIS VIO.TOM GOSS: YEAH, I’M REALLY RELIEVED PEOPLE HAVE RPOND SO POSIVELY.YOU KNEW THE ORIGAL DTY SPRGFIELD SONG?YEAH, I GREW UP SOUTHEASTERN WISNS, AND LISTENED TO “THE OLDI” ALL DAY WH MY MOTHER. THEY HAVE A LOT OF CHERISHED MEMORI FOR ME. I DIDN’T REALIZE WHAT THE SONG WAS ABOUT BACK THEN OF URSE. YOU’RE JT SGG ALONG, WHEN THAT IS A MUNAL, FUN, FAY THG TO DO.HOW DID THIS VERSN E ABOUT?THE VIO AND VIO NCEPT, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, WAS DONE LONG BEFORE THE SONG. I WANTED TO REVENT THE SONG A WAY THAT PAID HOMAGE TO THE ORIGAL, BUT WAS ALSO DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND OF SELF.HOW IS TOBGRAPHIL FOR YOU?MY EXPERIENCE WAS OF BEG SOMEBODY WHO AS A YOUNG MAN FELT SO MISUNRSTOOD, UNHEARD, UNLOVED, THAT I ATTEMPTED SUICI AT AROUND 13.JT AS ONE OF THE BOYS ATTEMPTS THE VIO. WHY DID YOU ATTEMPT ?I THK I ALWAYS FELT DIFFERENT. LOOKG BACK ON , SEXUALY FELY HAD A ROLE TO PLAY, FEELG AS IF I WAS BEG TREATED DIFFERENTLY AS A RULT OF , NOT UNRSTANDG WHY THAT WAS, FEELG LIKE “THE OTHER” A LOT, FEELG LIKE BEG PART OF THE MARGS. THAT’S REALLY HARD AS A KID. IT WAS A REALLY ROUGH PERD OF MY LIFE. MY PARENTS DIVORCED. I GOT REALLY UPSET ABOUT THAT, AND EVERYTHG SNOWBALLED.HOW DID YOU ATTEMPT SUICI?I CID TO KILL MYSELF BEE I FELT NOBODY WOULD MISS ME. IT WAS A VERY DARK MOMENT. I REMEMBER THKG, “I’M GOG TO TAKE THIS BOTTLE OF PILLS, THEN I’M GOG TO CUT MYSELF.” WE HAD A VERY TALL HOE, SO I PLANNED TO JUMP OUT OF THE WDOW AT THE TOP OF THE HOE. I REMEMBER THKG, “I’M SO CLEVER. PEOPLE WILL BE SO BY TENDG TO MY WOUNDS, THEY WON’T KNOW I’M DYG SLOWLY OM THE SI OUT.” THKG ABOUT NOW MAK ME WANT TO CRY FOR THAT PERSON.HOW FAR DID YOU GO WH THE PLAN?I TOOK A BOTTLE OF PILLS, AND THEN PRETTY MUCH ALMOST IMMEDIATELY REGRETTED , AND UNRSTOOD THE WEIGHT OF WHAT I HAD JT DONE AND TOLD MY MOM, AND WENT TO THE HOSPAL, AND GOT MY STOMACH PUMPED. THEN THEY PUMPED CHARAL TO MY STOMACH AFTER THEY TOOK ALL THE FLUIDS OUT. I SPENT A UPLE OF DAYS HOSPAL.AND THEN THERAPY?I WAS LOT OF THERAPY. TO BE HONT, WAS ONLY WHEN I PICKED UP A GUAR AND STARTED WRG SONGS WHEN I WAS 18 THAT THE REAL THERAPY BEGAN.UNTIL THAT POT, MY MONS WERE MANIFTG ANGER, FIGHTG A LOT, GETTG ARRTED A LOT. I GOT EXPELLED OM 9TH GRA. I WAS A GYMNAST, THEN A WRTLER, AND I GOT A LOT OF AGGRSN OUT THAT WAY. BUT I WAS VERY TROVERTED. WHEN I PICKED UP A GUAR I STARTED PROCSG SO MANY THGS. I WRTLED RIGHT THROUGH LLEGE, AND I WAS HANGG AROUND WH A LOT OF SNTILY-CLAD MEN ALL THE TIME BUT WASN'T FDG MYSELF ATTRACTED TO THEM.SO, HOW WAS YOUR SEXUALY AWAKENED?I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS ASEXUAL FOR A LONG TIME, UNTIL I CID TO BE A CATHOLIC PRIT. I DIDN’T THK BEG CELIBATE WOULD BE A BIG AL AS I WAS ALREADY ASEXUAL. AT SEMARY I FELL LOVE WH ONE OF MY CLASSMAT. FALLG LOVE WAS AND IS AND WILL NTUE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST BETIFUL AND POWERFUL THGS THAT N EXIST THE WORLD. IT’S HEALED ME MORE WAYS THAN I N SAY.THAT CERTALY THROUGH THE VIO TO THE SONG.I LOVE THAT THE KIDS THE VIO ARE LOVE, AND ’S PURE AND NOCENT AND WHOLOME AND ’S UPLIFTG, AND ’S ALL THOSE THGS EVEN AS PEOPLE ARE TRYG TO TEAR THAT APART.AND THE KIDS LIVE AND LOVE AT THE END.ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS THE FUTURE WE WANT TO BE PATG. IT’S HARD. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LGBT KIDS WHO HAVE MTED SUICI. BUT MANY KIDS HAVEN’T. MANY HAVE FALLEN LOVE AND FOLLOWED LOVE. THAT’S THE STORY WE WANTED TO TELL. WE BROUGHT THE (LGBT YOUTH SUPPORT ANIZATN) TREVOR PROJECT BEE WE DIDN’T WANT TO TRIGGER ANYTHG BAD, AND WE ALSO WANTED TO SHOW THE PA PEOPLE GO THROUGH. AND WE WANTED TO BE POSIVE.HOW DID YOU NVCE THE CHURCH THE VIO TO LET YOU FILM THERE?IT’S THE LTLE WHE CHAPEL BURBANK. I SPOKE TO THE PASTOR AND TOLD HIM WHAT WE WERE DOG. IT’S A WELG AND AFFIRMG CHURCH, AND HE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOG AND WAS SUPPORTIVE. THE SONG AND VIO’S MSAGE IS TO TST THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE. LOVE WHO YOU LOVE REALLY STRONGLY, EVEN IF THE ODDS ARE AGAST YOU.HOW RELIG WERE YOU?I HAD A MEDIUM-RELIG HOEHOLD. MY CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE WAS VERY LIBERAL. I NEVER GOT THE KD OF SERMON YOU SEE THE VIO. I FELT MARGALIZED FEELG ASEXUAL. IT MAY BE HARD BEG GAY, BUT AT LEAST THERE’S A MUNY OF THAT. IF YOU’RE ASEXUAL, YOU’RE THIS ROBOT THAT NOBODY UNRSTANDS. AND WH ME, I WAS ATTRACTED TO BEARS [OLR, HAIRY, BIGGER GUYS]. PART OF MY SLOWNS G TO THIS WAS THAT I WAS HANGG AROUND WH THE SUPER-YOUNG, SUPER-F WRTLERS, BUT I WASN’T ATTRACTED TO THEM BEE THEY WERE NOT THE KD OF MEN I WAS ATTRACTED TO.AND SO THE CLASSMATE AT SEMARY…?Y, HE WAS A BEAR. WE FELL LOVE, AND MANY WAYS WAS—LIKE THE VIO—SO NOCENT AND PURE AND WE WERE BOTH VIRGS. I WAS 23 AND HE WAS 38. HE WAS FELY MORE REPRSED. HE HAD HELD ALL AT BAY, WHILE I HAD WANRED THROUGH LIFE IGNORANT.I DIDN'T HAVE LOT OF TURMOIL AROUND . I JT THOUGHT, “WOW, THIS AMAZG, WHY WOULD GOD NOT WANT THIS MY LIFE?” I THK I LEFT MY SPIRUAL SI BEHD. BUT I WANTED TO BEE A PRIT TO WORK AROUND RENCILIATN, AND I HOPE MY WORK, THIS VIO, HELPS RENCILE PEOPLE WH THEIR OWN PASTS.WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIFE NOW?I’M MARRIED TO MIKE, MY HBAND OF 10 YEARS. HE’S VERY PROUD OF ME, AND WHOUT DOUBT MY BIGGT SUPPORTER.WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST SURPRISG RPONSE TO THE VIO SO FAR?I GOT AN EMAIL OM ONE OF DTY SPRGFIELD’S BACKG SGERS TODAY. THEY SAID THEY HAD SUNG FOR HER FOR YEARS, AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS, AND END BY SAYG “THANK YOU.” IT JT BLEW MY MD.AT THE END, THE BOYS HEAD OFF TO THE SUNSET, THEN MORPH TO BEG ADULTS STILL HAND--HAND.ONE OF THOSE GUYS IS ME, SO I IMAGE (LGHS) THAT ONE OF THEM GO OFF TO PLAY GUAR. IN MY STORY THEY LEARN TO TEGRATE SPIRUALY AND SEXUALY. THEY FALL LOVE WH EACH OTHER EPER AND EPER. TIM TEEMAN

A edy pokg fun at the "gay bt iend" stereotype, the film explor g out high school and navigatg iendships and school when that happens. The film, based on the 1971 novel of the same name, featur a gay love story set Edwardian England.

The members learn to embrace their tths and eventually bee a gay-straight alliance. Related: Bt Gay Movi Streamg on NetflixTo make sure the movi liver all the passn, fatuatn, urtship and flirtatn you may be cravg, our remendatns only clu movi where romantic relatnships are ont-and-center—which means such LGBTQ+ gems as, say, Can You Ever Five Me? )Bt Gay/LGBTQ Romantic Movi of All TimeNew Le Cema25.

Fire Island (2022)Pri and Prejudice leans to pri Spa Night and Driveways director Andrew Ahn's magnificent rom- (wrten by star Joel Kim Booster) that loosely adapts Jane Aten for gay mec.

HOW ONE GAY TEEN AND HIS STRAIGHT BT FRIEND HAD THE BT PROM EVER

Love, Simon (2018)You may never fd a film more quietly revolutnary than Love, Simon, the first-ever Hollywood stud-released picture centered on a gay teen. Stranger by the Lake has so much on s bra that would be entirely rctive to jt label a "gay movie. Gay love pl baby animals?

All imag: Godw BooksAdolcence n be a ighteng perd for young gay men, who are sudnly faced wh new sexual feelgs that n often nflict wh social prsur placed on them by fay, iends, and the media. ”In sger-songwrer Tom Goss’s movg and betifully posed torch-song reversng of “Preacher Man, ” the song tak on a darker hue featurg a forbidn gay love affair. The song immediately ed an onle flurry of ment when surfaced a uple of days, fallg for the preacher’s son means two teenage boys n smack up agast vic, evangelil homophobia.

It was almost like, beg gay, I was walkg around wh this ncero tumor I uldn’t shake. That’s why was so important to do this vio: I wanted to tell gay kids, “You’re fe. I thk a lot of young gay boys end up searchg for who they are not.

100 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF GAY MEN LOVE

” After I me out, I got more nfince, although took me a while to realize, wh therapy, how much abe I had would you say to other gay kids growg up now? I want kids to know that beg gay is awome. It may be hard beg gay, but at least there’s a muny of that.

(piano mic)It says You're hella gay, I'm hella straight, but you're like my brother, so be my date. I've cid that askg Anthony would be somethg thathe would very much enjoy beehe always go to danc aloneand he always talks about how badlyhe wants a guy to take him to is straight and I'm gay, and that's okay.

[Anthony] It all started outour sophomore year of high two years now, he joed stunt uncilof sophomore year and I had been stunt uncilhman and sophomore 'd always go to each other whenever somethg happenedand I gus we jt beme bt iendsdog that kd of, the both look so good on you door. I am the stunt uncil advisorat Dert Oasis High school district is very tolerantand our kids jt unrstand that's jt not acceptable to talk about peoplebased on factors they n't chango gay, straight, you know, know, and I thk the reasonthis story is so amazg is beethey were beg jt didn't thk was a big al, where the rt of the world is sayg you are so 's sayg I don't even get really tly didn't even get see my kids really brg about some chang jt, jt warms my some people 's jt really hard to grasp that the future's like turng around, like I get mak me happy knowg that I am fortable enoughto take a guy to the he's not even gay, he's jt mak me really happy'e if you would've told me that at eleven years old, I would've told you you're lyg to to have fun tonight.

THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS

Jt a is a ke that Anthony's nt bought I origally had , the sayg that I wanted on the ke wasYou're gay, he's straight.

(pop mic)It's jt not normal for a straight guyto ask a gay guy to prom.

10 GREAT GAY ROMANCE FILMS

(pop mic)I said well I'm stubborn and I wanted to go wh a guyand I wanted to show that 's okay to go wh a guy, which is why I waed for a guyand he didn't have to be gay and he didn't have to date meand I didn't exactly say I want a straight guy to ask me. Frankly, I’d have served a prison jt for him to hold my hand, like he did his off-whe Vxhall Nova on the drive there, breakg only to change, he took me for strawberry cir the Gloucter, a pub at the park’s edge, takg my tremblg hand his and reassurg me: “It’s actually a gay bar. Gay pubs are far more than bars; they’re refug.

On Sunday, the first a new seri of rabow plaqu will be stalled at the Gloucter – now the Greenwich Tavern – cementg s place gay home the workg-class Medway area of Kent, where we met when he sold me a phone cred rd at the lol petrol statn, “queers” like were wily perceived as predatory, perverted, spic or simply scum.

”After the strawberry cir, served by a man a tight whe vt – the only other gay man I’d seen real life – the squiggly summer sunlight ma a strobe effect through the park’s tre. The first time I saw wh him, when I was 18, I realised he had echoed the love story of the two protagonists, who also had their first kiss the twilight of Greenwich Park’s tre, and their first experience of a gay pub at the Gloucter. The explanatn for his obssn is now clear: there was such a pcy of same-sex love stori that this was the first time many young people had seen a same-sex kiss, or peeked si an actual gay bar after dark.