Hello my name is Kristoff. I've been trying to find a place where I can find support from others who might be in a similar situation as me and on recommendation from another source has led me here. So.... I realized I was gay around the time I was 13 or 14 years old but because of the home life I grew up in I never felt safe to come out. I grew up in an extremely conservative household where it was always believed that homosexuality was a sin and homosexual's were the abomination of the earth. I've never known any other gay people that I could even share these feelings of oppression with. I only attended public school until like the third grade and then I was removed from the public school system by my parents and home schooled until the day I graduated. I lost my father back in 2011 to lung cancer, but I would have never came out while he was alive for anything because I fear it would have been a physical confrontation on his part. I am currently 27 yrs old. I came out at the age of 26 to my mother, who even though has said she'll always love me, has made it clear she'll never accept me for who I am. She's the only person who knows that I'm gay. Prior to coming out to her I had tried to find some acceptance in the LGBTQ community but was met only with rejection and criticism because I wasn't "out" already. I thought maybe by being out I would find more acceptance. Lately I've been feeling a lot of regret, remorse, and even shame over my decision, and have only received even more negative views from those within the LGBTQ community because of the way I feel now. Hoping to meet some friends who will lend a supportive shoulder. Thanks. -Kristoff
Hi, Kristoff! Welcome to EC! I spent a couple years in Asheville back in the late 90s/early 2000s. You're definitely in the right place here at EC. It's always a challenge dealing with the religious guilt, and talking about your experiences is definitely one of the best ways to work through what you're feeling.
Hello Daniela. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for the kind welcome. When it comes to flowers for me I prefer the Alpine variety. Such as Edelweiss, and Enzian!
I would like to take a moment and thank everyone thus far for their kind words and warm welcomes. I would like to respond to everyone individually but I'm still trying to learn how to navigate around this site. And that includes messaging! Haha
