photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
Josh, in his own words: “To be completely honest I don’t think about (being gay) a lot. I’m just me. I’m an educator. And a musician. And a world traveler. And a thinker. On a broad scale, being gay means being out of the mainstream, which I like. It means living and loving on my own terms.
Over the years I’ve faced a bit of ignorance and unnecessary hostility. While there were some mild bullying issues in middle and high school, the worst homophobia I’ve experienced has been during my teaching career. My first teaching job was in a rough urban school district where I got called a faggot multiple times a week. I taught there for four years.
(Washington D.C. is) Transient. Diverse. Professional (and slightly uptight). Large. Cliquey. Highly educated.
(With regards to my coming out story) I told my favorite cousin and close ally Beth via AOL instant messenger when I was 15. When I went away to college I started telling people—it just automatically became part of who I was in college. That led to telling my mom during Thanksgiving break of my freshman year, but she (totally) knew already. I’m from a very small, socially conservative town in the Midwest. I consider myself extremely lucky to have family members who love and support me.