A TEENAGER has spoken out about his personal struggle growing up gay in Swan Hill, urging young people coming to terms with their sexuality to “face it straight on”.
Tommie-Jay Reid-Davies, who left the region in 2008, said it was hard to be a gay kid in the country, and his response was to ignore the issue.
“Hiding it made me a very angry person and I think it confused me more, because I tried to convince myself I was something that I wasn’t,” Tommie said.
“I was trying to work it all out while also trying to fight it.”
A model student during his years at Swan Hill Primary School, Tommie says his struggle came to a head when he started high school where he was severely bullied.
“I couldn’t go to the street without someone yelling out,” he said.
“I felt unsafe… verbally abused, pushed through corridors, had guys pretending to hit on you.
“A lot of my frustration started coming out in the school [and] I was suspended a lot.
“I started realising I was a bit different and I didn’t want to be.”
Now 19, Tommie lives in Melbourne and is in a stable relationship with his partner of four years.
He says his time in Swan Hill taught him the importance of self-acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning (LGBTIQ) people.
“You don’t need to come out and tell the whole world and dress in tutus,” Tommie said.
“But be comfortable with yourself and other people who are a big part of your life.”
For more on this and other stories, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (July 24).
