Discrimination Against Gays: My Story

It was long since I realized that someone’s education doesn’t always correspond to his or her values, fortitude, or humanity principles, but I was still shocked about how unrecognizably the envy has deformed most of my colleagues at school.

“I know many people with a PhD. My husband could also do it, if he wanted. But we rather invested in the new roof,” I heard Mara, and anger in her voice. I really thought that we were friends, and that she would be happy for me. Some colleagues were acting as if a PhD would be something very, very wrong, but they let me know that they could also have it, if only they would want it.

Some other colleagues, with whom I usually didn’t have much contact, were using the information about me being gay to hurt me. Years ago, when I started working at our high school, a colleague asked me if I would like to be a part of the project that was supposed to enhance the awareness of human rights amongst pupils. I was very enthusiastic about it, well, until she said: “You know that I like minorities and so forth… I have no prejudices! Well, except for… I don’t like gays. I simply couldn’t work with a gay person!” And after years of teaching about the human rights, she now heard that I was gay! With the pride of an idiot she looked me in the eyes, and said: “Those pupils are impossible! Just a minute ago... in the classroom… one boy grabbed the other one between the legs. I asked him if he didn’t have a girlfriend. He answered: “Why would I need a girlfriend, if I can have him every day?” Can you imagine, how seek they are… Sick! Sick!”

“Oh, is that so?” I said, totally lost in her stupidity.

“It must be because there is a gay teacher amongst us!” she performed the big finale of her attack on me. How ele...

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...?” he asked.

“No one did!”

“Those people, who aren’t able to tell me things directly, don’t exist for me,” he said. “It may be the time for you to write them off.” And so I did, slowly. It took me months to recover fully. And there was another disappointment: my mentor from the faculty stole my scientific paper. He knew the editor, and they deleted my name to make him the only and the first author. I wrote a very harsh letter to the editor, and he published corrigendum in the next issue. But still, I was disillusioned again. I had to realize once again values don’t always go hand in hand with the level of education. The disgrace my mentor brought himself in! Also in this situation Ron was always with me, showing me that he loved me. I couldn’t believe him at first; I couldn’t believe that he would stick with me, but he persuaded me. He showed me what love is.