Diversity Rules Magazine

November 2011 Revelation By Sue Koenig fundraising events. Susan has been wiring poetry for about two years. Since retirement, she has taken writing classes and maintained her involvement in so- cial justice issues. Her involvement with the local aids organization includes volunteering for the needle exchange, editing the Hep C News- letter and helping with Sue's most recent work appears here, entitled, "Revelation" - a story about a budding relation- ship between two gay youths. Ryan chooses an isolated chair and sits. Just as the speaker enters the room so do a few others; one of the fellows sits down next to him. Ryan averts his eyes. The speaker's name is Cass. She seems at home in her skin, smiles a lot and gives the impression people can talk to her. "Since this is the first meeting for this group, we're going to do some exercises and games to help everyone get to know each other. We're all here not to judge but to help, however we can." That sounds good. I like that. She looks like she means it too. As the staffer discusses the problems gay youth face, he feels his body re- lax. When he had entered the room his palms had been sweaty and he had felt tremors in his legs. He knew he had been nervous about this meeting, his first, a group called Open Closet, sponsored by the local GLBT organization. He had always believed he was alone in his feelings and desires toward men. He had always felt he was different. At a few points in the presenta- tion he exchanges looks with the guy next to him and it feels OK. After the break, he takes a good look at his neighbour. Wow is he ever cute and he smells good too like a ... cinnamon candy bar. He doesn't look gay. He's muscular with wavy, brown hair. He looks like he could pass for straight. Yet here he is. Eight During one of the exercises, Cass asks, "Who has a girl friend or boy friend?" A couple of the guys raise their hand and one of the women. Ryan hears a "whew" from his neighbour and chuckles. Bet he's relieved he's not the only one with a girl friend. Two years ago I had a girl friend too. Cass then asks, "How does that make you feel?" One of the girls said it made her feel like a phoney. The cute guy next to him nods his head in agreement. After that Ryan notices the fellow take some deep breaths and his posture relaxes. The afternoon consisted of a bunch of exer- cises, skits and games. As Ryan becomes more comfortable within the group, he feels the bun- dle in his mind finally open. At the end of the session, as the two young men prepare to leave, "cutie" turns to Ryan, "You did good there with those exercises." Ryan jerks like a puppet on a string, "Uh, thanks, will you be here for the next meeting on Wednesday?" The other fellow struggles to get his backpack on; his hair falls onto his forehead but he doesn't push it back even though it hides his

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