Maddin Herberger, senior

“I never really came out. My dad actually more just [found out] that I was gender fluid. But he still doesn’t understand the concept of bisexuality. He either thinks that I am lesbian or straight and apparently [gender fluidity]  just doesn’t cross his mind. So before I came out to my dad, I first came out to my friends and all of them were super supportive. I don’t even know why I was so nervous, to be honest. Then I came out to my boyfriend, which I know is not the most real person to come out to, but he was like, ‘OK cool, can we still date?’And I was just like, ‘Yeah, sure, that’s fine.’ My dad had found out because he saw one of my chest binders and he was like, ‘Yo, what is this?’ and I was like, ‘Oh crap.’ I explained to him that this is what I was going through and he was like, ‘Okay, that explained why you always cried when I made you put on dresses.’ Ever since I did come out and ever since my dad found out, I’ve been truly able to express myself for who I truly am.”