Imagine walking through school and noticing a small …show more content…
In The Perks of Being a Wallflower the football quarterback is gay, but too afraid to admit he is gay. The novel shows the negative experiences a LGBTQ person may encounter. For example, the quarterback, Brad, was not comfortable with his sexuality and used alcohol and drugs as a cover. When Brad’s boyfriend described the circumstance he explained, “‘Brad doesn’t want people to know.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because he’s scared’” (Chbosky 36). Later in the novel, Brad’s fear became a reality when his father found out about the relationship. Brad received physical abuse and then turned the abuse onto his boyfriend at school, to prevent any further humiliation. Before his father's reaction, Brad had a reputation to uphold as the school’s quarterback. One college quarterback commented to NBC News stating “In masculine sports like football… gay players are seen as anomalies.” Having an internal fear and a minority not only in school, but on the football team can lead to a greater tendency to hide sexual orientation. However, while the concept of “coming out” may be daunting, studies are beginning to prove a connection to students who are open about their sexual orientation are less likely to suffer from mental disorders related to their sexual …show more content…
In Perks of Being a Wallflower, Brad’s boyfriend, Patrick, is an example of someone who has a positive coming out experience. Patrick is comfortable being with Brad without the use of alcohol and regardless of how his peers view the relationship. One reason for his self-confidence is because he had a positive coming out experience from accepting himself and his peers accepting him. One study conducted at the University of Arizona reported victimization and bullying is present in high schools and higher education regardless if the person officially comes out. However, they also reported “those who were open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in high school reported higher self-esteem and life satisfaction as young adults than those who did not disclose... Those who came out at school also reported lower levels of depression as young adults. The results were the same across genders and ethnicities”. While experiences will continue to vary from person to person, the positive experiences research has outlined, and from proof of students like Patrick, the terror of coming out is slowly