Bullied for being gay

I'm a lesbian. I accepted that a long time ago but when the time came to tell my friends, it was a different story.

I fell for a girl and I wanted the whole world to know how I felt about her. Unfortunately nothing is ever that easy.

I decided I had to come out to my friends but when I eventually plucked up the courage to tell them the truth about my sexuality their response was not what I hoped it'd be.

The majority of them had a really negative reaction and only one was supportive. But my closest friend's reaction was awful.

It started with that look of utter horror and disbelief, and turned into a burning hate. I couldn't understand it, one minute she was beside me saying she'd help me no matter what, the next she was edging quickly away from me, freaking out and telling me I was queer.

She and a few others began to bully me pretty badly about it. It started off with small things like taking my pens from me in class and saying mean things like I was a freak. But then it escalated until the things they said to me were so bad I wanted to harm myself. Self harming felt like my only way to cope.

I felt betrayed

I want people to know how badly it can affect someone when you pick on them. What made it worse was the fact that I'd confided something really personal about myself to this girl and she was using it against me.

Eventually the one friend who had stuck by me found out about my scars and scabs. She told the bullies how much they were hurting me with their behaviour. She thought it might make them lay off me, but it backfired badly.

They told me I was just looking for attention so I could brainwash others into being gay too. This was not only incredibly hurtful but also really ignorant. You can't just 'turn someone gay' it doesn't work like that.

Things started to get better

My friend finally persuaded me to talk to the school about what the bullies were doing to me. Thankfully the school was really supportive and took action against those involved.

I am pleased to say I have since moved school and my new classmates are much more accepting. I sometimes still see the old bullies round at the shops and things, but they were rightfully punished by the school and don't have quite the same smirk now.

Even better than that, I can wipe the smirk right off their faces because I have recently got myself a great girlfriend and am happier than ever before. It annoys them so much that I'm happy now, but I don't blame them entirely for what they did. It's not their fault they were afraid of my sexuality they just didn't know any better.

My advice

My advice is, if you are suffering homophobic bullying tell someone who can help you. It's a horrible thing to go through and it can really affect your mental and emotional health.

• tina2012 Apr 3, 2011 19:48

  i'm not goin to defend the bullys hun but wen i went skl my bezzie faked bein straight, an then told me the truth n i stuk by her but she started tellin others we were doin stuff so ur ex friends probb wernt moanin at yu jus worried sumint like tht might happen to them ! but gd luck wiv ya new gf nd all

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