“NATURE MADE A MISTAKE, WHICH I HAVE CORRECTED.

”
A Jherick Tacderas’ Story

“I've been embraced by a new community. That's what happens when you’re finally honest about who
you are; you find others like you.” -Chaz Bono

As once a child, I never really understood what it meant to be gay. I never understood the strict borders
between pink and blue, between dolls and race cars, between pretty dresses and sports-related t-shirts. I
never understood why these boundaries existed, and why I was on the “wrong” side of the wall.
Nonetheless, I kept going, and I became who I am now, someone strong, both mentally and emotionally,
and someone who loves himself and who is willing to help others love themselves too.
My name is Gerald. I am twenty-seven years old and a College Instructor at Keystone College Inc. It’s
been seven years that I’ve change my closet. Though I face challenges at school, I’m still largely accepted
in school, which makes me very grateful. The largest challenges I’ve faced are stereotypical judgements
like “All gay guys are insanely flamboyant and overly dramatic,” and the occasional peer who uses
homosexuality to make jokes. As irritating as these problems are, I know not to take them seriously.
Ever since I was young I have done life the easiest way. This was the same for "coming out". For my
whole life I've known that I would be different. In kindergarten I would always play with the girls and
sometimes the guys as well, this continued on into primary school where I would play and hang out with
the girls.
As open as our school is, it is far from being perfect. Keystone College is really great, but I believe there
are more ways it could support our LGBTQ+ community. One way is by having more clubs or groups
that support the LGBTQ+ community in the school. Another way I think the school could support us is by
having an all school Pride day, or Pride week, allowing the students to wear their sexual orientations’
colors and expressing themselves. The last way I think the school could support us is by having
assemblies talking about our community, sexual orientations, and to speak out when there is bullying and
hate present. This would encourage the students to take us seriously, stop making jokes, and allow us to
show not only our own, but the school’s support and dedication to the LGBTQ+ community of today and
the years to come.
Life since coming out as being gay hasn't changed all that much. As I walk through the school grounds I
might get the comment 'oh there is the fag' or something along those lines. I have gone through a couple
of groups of friends because of the whole experience but my five best friends from second year high
school till we graduated secondary level have stuck beside me and if there was ever a problem they would
help me sort it.
Good friends, competitive teachers and one wonderful family are the ones who mold me for who I am
today. Everything good I have inside of me, I get from them. I experienced lots of challenges that test my
skills and personality. All those challenges and problems that I’ve been through leaves a wonderful
lesson. Good days gave me happiness, bad days gave me experiences, which are both essential to life.
Success keeps me growing and failures make me humble.
The one thing I have discovered about coming out is to choose who you tell carefully and if you don't
think you can trust a certain person, then you can't trust them. Also make sure you have some close
friends that you can count on, because it is a very emotional experience. Make sure you are ready and
don't feel you have to hide who you are, because you were born this way!
At this point, I know that the determination and ambition of others along with my own can change the
way schools see the community of a different sexual orientation, and how that goal isn’t far from
becoming a reality. I know that I share this wish with others, and I am eager to find out how high we can
go in making this dream take shape. I know that together, we can bring the wall down, I know that
together we can speak out. With pride. For pride.