sounds like great progress rediscoveringme.

the cognitive dissonance can be enormous……..its amazing that any of us actually get through it…..some come out the other end with some psychological scars or issues.

Great to know your relationship with your kids in in tact. Mine is today as well thanks to the words of my ex-wife “he will always be your father”

Like you….I thought once I came out I’d be rejected. I could see how young children in a christian environment could accept a homosexual father………I obviously didn’t know my daughters well enough.

funny you should mention self esteem……on the Friday night before the seminar in Melbourne i will be speaking at the monthly freedom 2 b[e] meeting…..the topic. Self Image – Self Esteem and Sexual Identity. You might like to attend that as well. It is a free event BTW.

looks like a gay weekend for you…… :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Hi Iain,

I think I read your story a while back…. but will revisit it, now that my life is significantly less fearful.

I love your statement …”detangling myself out of the unsafe Christian workplace”

This does need to be my next step however the tension is that I love the school that I teach in. Largely, the staff are great and the students a joy to teach. However, if I was ‘out ‘ the the community all that would change.

Last year I took the step of notifying my Principal. I have had a number of private conversations with him. He is supportive but the gentle push is to leave. He argues that a good number of the staff would find the situation too difficult and my job would become too difficult. He argues that he is looking after my welfare, which he is, but he is also looking after the school, at my expense. He is of the opinion that The Bible is very clear about homosexuality. He is certainly not comfortable with me being gay and sexually active. Not that he knows about my sex life. So, very clearly he is encouraging me to leave, without being pushed out. However, leaving has financial implications e.g leave behind all of my long service leave. On top of that I LOVE the position of responsibility that I hold.

However, on a personal note I know my position is untenable, even in the short term.

Problem is I have been at the school 5yrs and so leaving now forfeit any long service money. Damn.

My goal is to chew off my Principals ear with my ideas on Christian Theology with sexuality in mind. But, even if I convinced him (which I doubt) my workplace would become a toxic place for me with other staff members knowing my personal details. Some staff members (2) do know but they are close friends and not at all challenged by who I am; nor should they be. : -)

BUT, I do know my Prin’ would write me an amazing reference as I do a bloody good job!!

It’s great that your old Principal is coming to your commitment ceremony…. you have done your bit to reeducate a small part of the community.

Thanks : -)

:sushi: