.
.
Transcript provided by YouTube. Slightly edited with AI.
Sundeep Singh Boparai: Breaking the News
I’m Andrew Gryniewicz, and I’m from Seattle, Washington.
In 2013, I had a girlfriend, and we had been dating for about a year and a half. I had always felt
that maybe that wasn’t right, but we were getting along, and it’s high school, so I was deep in
denial at this point.
The Turning Point: Embracing Authenticity
But that summer of 2013, I started flirting with this boy. Suddenly, it felt
very comfortable, felt very normal, felt nice. That was kind of the first moment that I realized,
Oh, I am being dishonest and dating this woman.
I ended up breaking up with her and started seeing Luke pretty closely after that. We had been seeing
each other for about two months at this point, and it was very nice, and I was having a great time.
Awkward Encounter: Family Discovery
One day, he came over to our house, and there was
always a rule with my girlfriend that if my girlfriend was over,
the doors had to stay open. But because Luke is a boy, my parents didn’t care. The door was
closed. We were watching TV. Naturally, we started making out as young teenage boys do.
Luke was on top of me, so I had to push Luke off of me. My father was
dead silent. He walked over, closed the window, and he left.
A few minutes later, my dad calls me downstairs and he just says, “I don’t know what’s going on
in there, but keep that door open.” I am sheet white. I’m like, “Yes, dad. Okay,
whatever you say.”
My mom is out at this point, so I knew that he was
going to tell her when she got back, and there was going to be a conversation. Luke was kind
enough to stay until my mom came home. My mom comes home. Luke goes.
This was probably the most emotional conversation we had because I felt very
defensive because after they asked about Luke, they were like, “So, you’re gay?”
And I was like, “No, I don’t think I’m gay. I just really like Luke and I just really enjoy spending
time with him. I think I definitely like boys, but I’m not gay.” I didn’t want to use the label yet.
Opening Up: A Positive Shift in Family Dynamics
So, I went to the TV room after our conversation and just started watching TV again. I think I
just needed to decompress. My mom knocks on the door and she asked if she can come in and talk.
That was what I needed to hear, for sure. Especially given all of the anxiety for years leading up to this moment,
to have that support was so lovely.
They’ve come to the gay bars with me. My mom’s had Tequila poured on her throat at Flaming Saddles.
My dad’s gotten a $4 gin and tonic at Mickey Spillane’s.
And it’s just been really special, and
that day changed our relationship for the better. If I could go back and talk to senior in high
school, Andrew, while he’s waiting for his mom to come home, I would of course tell him,
“It’s all going to be okay.”
—
Feel free to let me know if you need any further adjustments!
—
This post was previously published on YouTube.
***
You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project
Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often | Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | ..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything |
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: unsplash