Hi everyone :) its Mateo again. I'm not sure how often I even check up on this, but I had a random urge to login and I was washed with the fond memories of my youth on wattpad. I'm 23 now, and I've already graduated undergrad, gotten a master's degree, and am now in a PhD program. Words cannot express enough how grateful I am to this place and to each every one of you. I found not only my voice through writing stories here, but I found myself (no matter how cheesy it sounds). I grew comfortable in the fact that I was queer, and had so many supportive interactions with people here that genuinely saved my life. I don't think I ever made it public, but I regularly posted updates until Christmas 2017. That night, my parents drug me out of the closet, lectured me for hours on how immoral this was, and degraded every aspect of self-esteem I had for my queerness. My sister hurt herself that night, and my mother said to me, "look what you've done." They stopped paying for anything I needed and emotionally and financially disowned me. They took my phone away during my last semester of high school, denied me hanging out with any friends, and forced me to attend more bible study groups and church events. They even sent me to a church camp to "get better, because you need this." They threatened to take my phone and car (they paid for it then) until 2019. They really held power over me, until I bought my own phone (2020) that they couldn't threaten away, and paid the car note. Years later (2021-2023) I had graduated undergrad, and got into and graduated a masters program, found a beautiful chosen family and lived in a place that finally felt like a home. Now, I am out of Louisiana. I have my own (new) car, my own phone, my own everything. I am a doctoral student learning in hopes to change and impact the lives of others. I say all of this to let you know, that wow...the old adage is completely true: with time, it gets better. I haven't lost my pride since, thanks to yall <3
