When did you realise you were gay?
When I was at young age I always knew who I wanted to be, and it never phased me being gay. I had a first girlfriend, but then quickly knew that liking girls wasn’t for me and that I liked boys. I knew who I truly was.
Could you always be yourself?
I sometimes felt I had to be a certain way in school and socially. That I had to make everyone see me fit in so I couldn’t be myself. Back at high school it was always hard to be myself, and I wanted to have friends who could understand me. I felt like an outsider looking into a world where people would judge me and make me unhappy in so many ways.
How did you feel about being ‘different’?
Well to be honest with you, what got me through being different was my friends and family. They love me for who I am, and I was very lucky to have such support.
Being who you truly are matters, as can we inspire others in so many ways. I learnt that everyone is different, but you shouldn’t keep trying to changing yourself just to get other people to try to accept you.
How do you feel about being gay and identifying as that?
I feel good being who I am. For so long I was trying to be someone who I wasn’t.
But now, being honest to myself and realising I am not the only one who feels that way is so freeing. I embrace myself and who I am, as I’m still the same old me, I haven’t changed, I just like boys.
And you can read more about Troy taking part in mystery shopping and about him starting a participation group.
“Being who you truly are matters, as can we inspire others in so many ways.”
Troy
