In order to get a better look into what life is like for a member of Coronado’s LGBTQ+ community, the Cougar Daily sat down with two students identify as Bi-Sexual to talk about their life and experience. The first of these members of the LGBTQ+ is Ben. Ben currently identifies as BI sexual. He is out of the closet and is happy about it too. We sat down to talk to him about his experience.

Q: What were your fears of coming out of the closet?

A: Some of my fears were if people would accept me or if some of my friends would be there for me and I really didn’t feel like being like that one kid that is just sitting there that has no friends because he is gay.

Q:How diverse do you feel Coronado is in terms of the LGBTQ+ community?

A: I feel like they are pretty diverse. They have a wide range of people and they have there GSTA club. I think that is pretty nice compared to other high schools and middle schools. I feel like sometimes they can be a little over board on showing that they are helping the LGBTQ+ community but i think it is still nice that they are having an open environment for students along those lines.

Q: Since you have come out have people treated you differently in any negative way?

A: people have reacted negatively but I just brush it off my shoulder. It doesn’t really bug me  compared to how some other people feel. Even though some people have a hard time you are clearly better than them because that’s who you are as a person and people can’t change that.

Q: Do you think there are advantages or disadvantages to being in the community and if so what are those disadvantages\advantages?

A: No I don’t think so. You should be treated just like any other human being. I don’t think you should be having a gay privilege card or anything like that. You don’t need to constantly yell it out. It should be more of a personal thing. Only tell it to your friends or close indavigewalls

Q: So how do you feel about being in the LGBTQ+ community at Coronado?

A: I feel like some kids use it as an excuse to do something when really they shouldn’t be. You don’t have to state it every someone asks if you like someone or do like this specific person you don’t have to be like i’m gay. You could  just shrug it off your shoulders. You are just the same as any student at Coronado. You might just act a little different but you are still a student at Coronado.

We also interviewed Amanda Olsen, who identifies as Bi-Sexual to find out what another LGBTQ+ student thinks of her school. She is out of the closet and proud about who she is.

Q: What were your fears on coming out?

A: Pretty much losing a bunch of my friends and my family. Since I had just gotten into middle school i was afraid i wouldn’t be able to make any friends just because i was part of the community.

Q: In terms of diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. How diverse would you say your school is?

A: Not a ton. It is way less diverse than most other schools because if they are they don’t really have to express it and the few people I have meet they are the same part of the community. Like one category of the community. There arent other people that arent transgender or diffrent sexaulitys.

Q: How have your friends & family treated you after you came out of the closet?

A: My dad is ok with it and my mom is meh with it. There has been a different change in behavior from friends and family but it’s not totally major to where they hate me.

Q: Do you feel there is any disadvantages\advantages to being in the community and if so what are they?

A: No, I mean like just because i am not a straight person. It doesn’t mean I have an advantage over other people because everyone is human. It just so happens that I am part of a community that support people like that.

Q: How do you feel about living in the state of Colorado and being openly gay?

A: Well since it is America it’s definitely been accepted. Since there is other cultures of people here it is half and half chance that will or will not be accepted.

Q: How do other people treat you when you say you are BI?

A: It is either a drastic difference or difference at all.

These are just only 2 people from a large community. There are tons of other people in this community and they all have different outlooks on this subject, but hopefully this interview allowed you to get a better view on what life is like for them, and to get a broader view of the people who roam Coronado’s halls.