Read the first part of the series

Read the second part of the series

Editor’s note: This is the third of a week-long series of students’ coming out stories.

David Jones Jr. had an easy time coming out. His confession wasn’t met with anger, silence or disapproval. Instead, he was relieved to discover that most people already knew.

He describes coming out to his mom as comical because he made a big deal about it and he was afraid to let her down.

But once he told her, she said she already knew.

“The main problem was getting up the nerve to do it,” said the freshman exploratory major.

People at his high school made comments hinting that they thought he was gay, but it didn’t bother him.

“I kind of let it go,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

His high school voted Jones and his boyfriend class couple, but the woman who ran the newspaper there thought it was joke. Instead, the title was changed to best guy-guy friends.

When Jones first began having feelings he might be gay, he had to search for answers. He found Empty Closet, a forum-style Web site for people figuring out their sexuality.

He tried to stop being gay, but he said talking with people on the forum made him realize being gay “is something you can’t really help. So it’s best just to accept it and learn to live with it.”

Jones discovered his sexuality along with a friend who also wasn’t sure about hers. His uncle is also gay, so Jones can talk to him and ask questions.

Before he came out, Jones was constantly nervous about the way he acted because he was worried someone would find out.

Now that his sexuality isn’t a secret, “It’s a lot easier,” he said with a smile and sigh of relief. “It’s just a lot easier to be yourself.”

Contact diversity reporter Kelly Petryszyn at [email protected].