Raised in a Colombian household, freshman biology major Valeria Velasquez said coming out to her parents as gay was difficult at first.
“Their doubt seeped in through to me because they’ve known me since the second I was born,” Velasquez said. “They’ve raised me. They’ve been by my side for every part of me growing up.
“So if they don’t think I am, then maybe some part of them is right.”
According to the Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 42% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 18% of them identified as Hispanic.
UCF students who are both Hispanic and part of the LGBTQ+ community said they are alarmed by these numbers. Velasquez said it can be a negative experience for children to be rejected by their families.
“If they reject you for being queer, that’s really harmful because you identify as all these things they identify as yet they are shunning you,” Velasquez said.
She said she was hesitant to come out to her parents around the age of 15, and when she did, they didn’t quite believe her at first. Velasquez said she came out a total of three times before her parents accepted her and gave her the reaction she wanted.
She said her relationship with her parents was rocky at first but was strengthened through many conversations after coming out the last time. As someone who had the ability to explore themselves in school, Velasquez said it is important kids continue to get that opportunity.
“Learning about history is really important, and being able to give kids a safe place in school to explore their identities is crucial,” Velasquez said.
Read more at NicholsonStudentMedia.com.
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