Anyone

No Means No

Sixth grade was the year that I officially came out to my family and friends as gay. Most people told me it was obvious which I can't help but agree. I am very lucky and grateful that I have support from the people close to me. Honestly no one cared and I'm glad they don't. Less stuff for me to worry about. When I came out, I didn't hide the fact that I was and in fact am very open about it. But just as I come out of a dark place hiding who I was, certain things happened that would be uncomfortable for anyone.
In elementary grade I met my best friend. We love each other so much and would almost do anything for one another. We shared classes throughout the end of elementary school and middle school. We always stuck together and our friendship only grew. We were so comfortable with each other and told them everything and anything. At some point i noticed that she got too comfortable with me. She started to touch me in private places. Never hesitating to grab my groin and yell to everyone that i was hard even if I wasn't. She never stopped. If i had a penny for every time i told her stop or no then i would be the richest man in the world. When she didn't stop after telling her no I gave up and gave in. I would laugh with her about it even though I was so uncomfortable. In eighth grade I had to do virtual. Virtual finally let me escape from the non stop sexual harassment that she did to me physically. We stopped talking for a year and even when she tried to get in touch with me I would ignore her. Though it made me feel bad to ignore her, I couldn't take any more of what she was doing. My mental health got to a point where I shut everyone out to focus on myself which allowed me to separate myself even further from her.
    She wasn't the only girl doing it to me. Mind you everyone knows i'm gay and accepts it. In 7th grade gym i met another girl named Kayleigh who was just as bad if not worse as the first. I always hated going to classes because of her and seeing Kayleigh in the halls because she would touch me inappropriately almost every day. I would cry at home because I couldn't take what she was doing. I never told anyone because of how embarrassing it was. A 12 year old, 200 pound, 5'11" gay guy wasn't easily believed to be harassed by some girls who were shorter and smaller but mostly older. I finally told a friend (named Lucy) when she opened up about what Kayleigh was doing to her. We decided to tell the principal about what was going on but not one thing happened. The school counselor didn't believe anything I said because of the appearance of me and Kayleigh. I was so frustrated and upset that nothing was going to change what she was doing. Thankfully she moved during the school year so I didn't have to deal with it anymore.
     One of the most recent events and one that is still happening while i'm in high school was with a dude named Preston. We shared a class in sixth grade and since then he has always bullied me any chance he could. Asking me private information and inappropriate things. He would continuously ask me if I watched gay porn and what kind I watched if I did. He would follow me around asking if I was gay and never left me alone. I felt that i was lucky that it never became physical. That changed when I got to high school. He became friends with other homophobes and whenever they see me they try to touch me. They would follow me in the halls to any classes or when I went to a therapy meeting. They would keep asking if I was gay for them and would date them. Preston specifically would grab me by the shoulders and push me around trying to kiss me and grab me when I clearly didn't want to. He always told me, "Cmon why won't you kiss me. Your a f@got aren't you?!". This still gets under my skin. I've gone to the principle, multiple teachers, and my therapists about him. My teachers and therapists can only do so much but they tried their best but never once was the kid talked to, punished, or even confronted about what he was doing. It's bullshit and i'm still trying to get over it and move on.
Why do people not get to at No means No.