Gay Youth In The City

The New York Times spilled some ink for gay youth yesterday.

“The City” section featured a gaggle of 17-year old’s city experiences, including Queens resident Zy-Tasia Gaines. Gaines, pictures with her girlfriend on Christoper Street’s contentious piers, shares some of her painful and poignant memories, such as her peers’ childish rationale:

There was a girl at my high school, and she would ask me really silly questions, like, “Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston”? I’d say, “Angelina Jolie,” and she’d say, “See, only a gay person would say that.” And she goes, “Red ice cream or grape ice cream?” I’m like, “Red ice cream.” She says, “See, you’re a lesbian.”

Gaines’ parents haven’t been any more supportive. Both seem to think she can “change” into a straight girl.

My father, he still thinks it’s a phase. He’s like: “I think you’re gonna have a boyfriend later on. I’m not worried about it.”

But my grandmother’s cool with it. She says, “As long as you’re not doing pornos and doing anything crazy, getting tattoos on your forehead, I don’t care who you go out with.”

My mom is just like, “Well, I wanted grandkids, and I wanted you to marry a boy,” and every now and then, she throws in: “I met this really nice guy on the train. Are you sure you don’t want to meet him?” And I’m like: “No, Mom. I have a girlfriend.”

Though she says she’s [teenage] love with her lady, Gaines does get bogged by insecurities. Her piece concludes, “Maybe I should just be with a boy and make everyone happy.” No way girl, you stay just they way you are – the world needs more lesbians. It’s a totally unproven, entirely biased fact.