Pride Stories: The Podcast

Finding Acceptance in Small Town America: Jordan's Story

• Max Kringen and Tellwell Story Co. • Season 2 • Episode 4

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Join us on a heartfelt journey as we step into the life of Jordan, an out and proud gay man who navigates the complexities of identity and acceptance. This episode provides an intimate look at Jordan’s profound experiences, from his childhood struggles with self-acceptance to his exuberant embrace of a fun-loving, kooky lifestyle. Now an employee of a Minnesota senator, Jordan reflects on his path to self-discovery and the societal pressures he faced growing up in a small town. He shares compelling anecdotes, from his Hawaiian-themed party adventures to the transformative friendship with Hannah, a former Republican who evolved into a staunch LGBTQ+ ally. Dive into Jordan’s world as he offers heartfelt advice for those still finding their voice, and underscores the power of being true to oneself.

Presented by Tellwell Story Co., this episode reminds us that every story deserves to be heard and celebrated.

Are you ready to share your Pride Story?  Visit https://wetellwell.com/pride-stories-podcast to learn more.

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Speaker 1:

Hey friends, just a heads up as you go into this episode. There are just the briefest of mentions of self-harm and some adult language, so please use care as you listen to this episode.

Speaker 2:

We were committed we would put out yard signs for candidates and door knock and we're all about it, like we're completely about it had the bumper stickers and everything. We were so into Sarah Palin. It was unbelievable. Which, looking back now like say whatever you want about her and her policies. I'm not going to talk about that, but she is a woman who ascended to a very high position and from a gay standpoint, she dresses fabulously standpoint she dresses fabulously.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Pride Stories, the podcast where we celebrate the entire spectrum of experiences that make up the LGBTQ plus community. I'm your host, max Krangan, from Tellville Story Cohen Studio On this podcast. We're committed to creating a safe, supportive and inspiring space for our guests and listeners alike, so join us as we explore the heartwarming, sometimes painful and always inspired stories that make us who we are. Hi and welcome to Pride Stories, the podcast where we celebrate the entire spectrum of the LGBTQIA plus community, who I lovingly refer to as the Alphabet Mafia. We love to celebrate all of those stories and we believe that everybody's story deserves to be heard and deserves to be shared, and today, sharing their story, we have Jordan. Jordan, welcome to Pride Stories. Hi, thanks for having me. How are you? It's a good day. It's gloomy outside, but it's sunny in here. We got rainbows. We literally have rainbows all around us. It's great. So, Jordan, for anybody who doesn't know you, who are you?

Speaker 2:

I am Jordan Schreier. No one says my last name because it's very complicated to say I didn't say it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, not to clock you on that, but anyway it's okay.

Speaker 2:

I have lived in Moorhead now for about 10 years. Some people might recognize me. I was a morning news anchor for five and a half years. Before that I was a TV news reporter for about three years at a different station and now I work for a Minnesota senator.

Speaker 1:

Fantastic. I mean love working for a Minnesota senator, especially as we are on Pride Stories the podcast, because we know our Minnesota Senators support us.

Speaker 2:

They get us, they are allies, and that is one of the reasons I choose to live in Moorhead and am a proud Minnesotan. However, it's important that we take up space in all places around the country.

Speaker 1:

Amen. So, jordan, that was a really good bio. That was a great yeah that was my LinkedIn profile. Your professional profile? Yeah, but let's take it a step or two deeper. Like who is Jordan the person?

Speaker 2:

Who is Jordan? The person I don't even know. Sometimes you know like there's so much he could be, but for what we're doing here today. I am an out proud gay man who is making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass.

Speaker 1:

Are you homebound?

Speaker 2:

I'm trying, we're trying to find what home is capital H homebound, you know. So I am a person that likes to have fun and do enjoyable things and live kind of like a crazy kooky life, to do like in-depth things and knowledge and learning and continually learning and continuing hearing from other people and what their experiences are.

Speaker 1:

So dig into that a little bit more. Like I love the idea of a crazy kooky life because I think, as we talked about just briefly before we started, we have had many like introductions and like passing by. We even have some like mutual friends and stuff, which I mean the fargo moorhead gay community is not like that huge but it's one degree of separation one degree of separation, and so we we've had that, but like I've also seen you turn up at a wedding dance, right and so like, as you talk about that crazy kooky life, like jump into that yes, what does that mean?

Speaker 1:

You can give specific examples if you want to, because I know I've seen some, but like Too many people have seen some.

Speaker 2:

That's the real story here. So I am all about when it's time to have fun, let's have fun, and even when I'm working, I like to have a little fun. However, I am also of the mindset like, okay, no, if we're working, we're working now. Like let's get her done, let's do what we got to do, but when it is time to have a good time, I don't take myself too seriously. I think that's the one thing that makes it the most fun.

Speaker 2:

If it's a party bus and the theme is Hawaiian, for example, a friend and I were like, okay, hawaiian. For example, a friend and I were like, okay, great, we love Hawaiian. Let's step this up a notch. We are going to be an old couple on their anniversary Hawaiian vacation and we make that story and we become those people, complete with, you know, the thick white sunscreen on the nose, and my friend even had a rolly bag, a suitcase that she brought with us to every bar. Who does that, you know. And so I think that's what it is Just like this commitment to the bit, if you will, of the character that you're trying to, you know, be at that time and just having fun. Like I said, don't take yourself too seriously. Did I look like an absolute dink? Of course I had on these long jean shorts that were pulled up nice and high, with this horrific Hawaiian shirt, knee-high socks and some Velcro sandals. You know, giving Arnie Anderson realness, and that was his name. His wife was Joyce, my friend Arnie and Joyce. Arnie and Joyce on their vacation.

Speaker 1:

Oh, bless, yeah, Bless.

Speaker 2:

D, exactly, and so those are, just like, some of the fun things that we like to do, and that's, honestly, just one minor example of the what now my friend likes to call fun and frivolity.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, I love alliteration, so isn't that one Great.

Speaker 2:

It actually came from this. I'm sorry if she's going to hear this. It came from this elderly lady realtor who is fabulous, and every time we see her she's always just like a fun and frivolity you too, and it's just become our thing now. I shouldn't say elderly, she's, she is an older woman? No, no no, I shouldn't that. I'm sorry for calling her that, but let's just say 65 plus.

Speaker 1:

Okay, great. Well, I think that's okay. We love our elders on Pride Stories, the podcast. So that ability to be yourself, that ability to like, let your, you know in the words of, I think, the gingerbread man on Shrek, let your freak flag fly. It comes from somewhere. So take us back in time. Who was baby Jordan?

Speaker 2:

Okay, oprah, we're going there. I have been always a quirky person and at times much more reserved and self-conscious, and I think a part of why now I am so wild and crazy. Well, not really, but in what I'm willing to do, like dress up like an elderly man and haul around a suitcase all night on a party bus, for the bit is, I almost think, a defense mechanism in trying to prove that I'm okay with myself, like if I just be out there enough, then you can't hurt me because I'm already going this far out, you know, and also it's fun, like that's. That's the other part of it.

Speaker 2:

But a little gay Jordan was I don't even know how to necessarily explain it. He had, like many gay young people or people in the alphabet soup community, had a difficult time, you know, coming to realize who you are and how that plays out. I think almost anyone in the community can tell you that they knew they were different from a very, very young age. It's just what that difference is. You don't know, and I found that other people were telling me what the difference was before I knew what the difference was, and that creates a whole slew of issues in and of itself and that creates a whole slew of issues in and of itself, and then finally realizing, okay, yeah, I am different, what is it? And then putting a name to that and then trying to bury that you know.

Speaker 1:

And that like sixth, seventh grade timeframe. Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yep, yep, trying to put that down and put it down even deeper, and if you put it down enough, you know you'll never feel it again. But it just kind of keeps resurfacing because it's who you are, and then finally just realizing okay, this is what it is and we're going to have to figure out life from that. But in like in school, I would say that I was popular, yet weirdly alone.

Speaker 2:

Because it was your persona that was popular right, yes, which didn't feel like you, it was me, but it was a portion of me that I had built up and wasn't fully me. And so I always say that it's very bizarre because I think about, you know, middle school, high school specifically, I think that's when a lot of people have trauma. Raise your hand to that, yep, both hands raised for those listening. But it was a time where I was elected to homecoming freshman year the only boy that could get on and it was me. Like what? I didn't play any sports, I wasn't anything like that. But everyone was like, oh my gosh, jordan, blah, blah, blah, and same senior year, but yet I felt like I didn't have any friends. I felt like I didn't actually get along with everybody. I felt very alone and scared.

Speaker 2:

You could probably say it rooted out of being scared and scared. You could probably say it rooted out of being scared, but just kind of negative sometimes too, you know, because of everything that's happening. So it took a very long time to kind of sort all of that out and it was almost like in my head, such a Jekyll and Hyde going on, like the good times could be so good and they were fun and everything was going on and you know, all people were laughing and we were having a great time and it was all good. And then I would go home or be in a different situation and you would just loathe yourself, you know, like why can't I just not be this way, which is something many people in the community struggle with, and so figuring that out was difficult.

Speaker 2:

And on the outside I think I presented as someone who was very put together, had a lot of things going for them, you know, worked really hard in school, in activities, had a job, did the music lessons, you know all of that sort of stuff. I think part of it was just to keep me busy, so I didn't think about who I was or what I wanted to be. You were a busybody in high school then too.

Speaker 2:

Since I was 16, I had, like employment outside of the house or you know where you have a job. And when I was working I worked every single weeknight, except one, the night I had my piano lessons. And then just about every single Saturday I worked at a bank. So Sunday we never were open, thankfully, so I could do other things that day, but just about every single day after school, bring a change of clothes, go to work, go home I mean, granted, it's a bank, so you're not open super late either, which is nice. But yeah, I work just about every single day, every single Saturday.

Speaker 1:

So as you transition from high school Jordan and to college Jordan, you went to college locally right MSUM, msum, baby go dragons. Is that when you started to both like, come out and get comfortable with yourself more comfortable?

Speaker 2:

yeah, more comfortable.

Speaker 1:

I think that is the the correct I think we're all striving for comfortability, but but more comfortable.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, Do we ever reach true comfort, you know? Do we ever reach the top of Maslow's hierarchy self-realization, self-actualization. Anyway, we can delve into that later.

Speaker 1:

That's a whole different podcast, but let's go.

Speaker 2:

But I think it's interesting and I've read several things about this now and the coming out process is never simple. They say that there is the first step, which is coming out to yourself, and then coming out to people that you know, close people, and then coming out to the broader community and then living your life as a member of that community. And so it's. You know, all these little steps, that kind of reach up to where you are. And I came out to myself. I told myself like out loud, one day when I was 16 years old, I said Jordan, you're gay, I'm gay. I was in the bathroom and, like, just you know, I said that to myself, which was so scary and it's crazy because your brain is thinking that you've had these thoughts. But to say it out loud to yourself, like to say out loud I'm gay, Jordan, you're gay, whoa. And so at 16, I knew I was gay and I was out to myself Basically. That's when I realized like, yep, what you are is called gay and this is now what your life is like. And in high school I could not say that or be out.

Speaker 2:

I grew up in Perham, minnesota small town, and that was not an option. There were not gay people in school. There were not gay people in school. I mean there were, but and I know some now but at the at the time, no, no one was, and it was very much a taboo thing. In government class, college government class and in college psychology classes Now, courses that were equivalent to what you would get at a community college, you know, and and went toward college credit. There were discussions about whether you're born gay or whether you choose to be gay.

Speaker 1:

In your high school.

Speaker 2:

In my high school, oh, psychology classes, college certified.

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, feels like those folks are underqualified to have that conversation, right, or why?

Speaker 2:

are we even having that conversation, right, or what Are we even having that conversation?

Speaker 1:

That's probably the better question.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, why are we even approaching this subject? I understand it's psychology, but, come on, there's so much more to go over. But there was, and it was class discussions and people were very passionate about it. So you know, I came out to myself when I was 16, knew I was gay. And then I'm going to school and I'm sitting in classes where people are debating whether I am choosing to be gay or this life, of course not knowing that I'm out gay, even though I think everyone knew I was gay. I mean, people have been calling me gay since I was in third grade, you know, like that's, which is surprising that people weren't thinking about it, because half my class was like oh yeah, jordan, he's the gay one, right, you know anyway. So we were having those. And so then you go to that and you're like cool that's.

Speaker 2:

People are debating whether my existence is like me, choosing to get attention Because it was not legal at the time in Minnesota or across the country.

Speaker 2:

And then you also had classes where it was debatable whether gay couples, if they can be legally married in different states, should they be allowed to adopt children, because you know they might ruin the kid is basically the argument. And so you go to school and you have these conversations with people and you sit and listen to that, and so then you just go down this rabbit hole of I knew like there's something wrong with me, even though you don't believe that, you don't believe necessarily that you would corrupt a child or that you don't deserve to be married to somebody, but you start to hear enough of these stories that you get it weighs on you and then you realize that, like coming out is definitely not an option because of where I'm at and also grew up Catholic, good, catholic, guilt, woo, oh, we love guilt, we love it. So I go to school and they tell me like you choose to be gay. And then I go to church and they say you're going to hell. So great time.

Speaker 1:

And you're like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and there's little gay Jordan saying what the fuck do I do now?

Speaker 2:

Literally, literally, what do you do now? How do you proceed? You know, I know I'm gay and I remember even asking my priest one time which I am shook that I asked him this question, like from this apparent, obviously gay boy, apparently from everyone around me telling me that, and I remember asking him when I was in high school. I said so what is the deal with homosexuality? Why? Why is it a sin? And he goes well, and they love to say this line there's nothing wrong with the person, it's the act of thinking, of existing. So I mean, then there's kind of these veiled microaggressions that you get from people of no there's nothing wrong with you, it's just how you want to live.

Speaker 2:

Okay, thanks for that.

Speaker 2:

So I went through high school knowing I was gay and just shoving it down inside and, you know, not being whatever.

Speaker 2:

And finally it just got to a point where you start to have to like be yourself and I was like, okay, I'm going to go to college, I'm going to come out Like I knew that I couldn't do it in my hometown, I couldn't undo it. So I went to college and was slightly more comfortable with who I was, but still very ashamed, still very much dealing with internalized homophobia, which a ton of people in the community deal with, and I still find myself struggling with, you know, day to day. But eventually found a good group of people that I became friends with, and my college friends were the first people I told that I was gay. It was December of my freshman year, so I was 18 at the time, and I think it's funny because once you go back and you learn about why people do this, I did it in a format of the people that I was willing to lose in my life were the people I told first.

Speaker 1:

Fascinating, like testing out the waters. I'm going to beta test this.

Speaker 2:

Yes. So in realizing, okay, these people, I really like them and they're really great. I've been friends with them for three months. So if I lose that friendship, you know I can deal with that, where having to tell your parents and trying to see what that is going to be like, that is a whole other thing.

Speaker 2:

So told the people in college and I was so nervous to tell them because we were all going to be living together the next year at a house off campus and I was like, oh, guys, if we're going to live together, there's something you should know about me. And I was like, okay, and they were like okay, that was it. That was the response. Okay, and then it was so cute. Then we left, we were in like a dorm lounge area and I went back to my own dorm and they, we had a group message and then everyone in the group message was like Jordan, just so you know, we love you exactly how you are Like we can't wait to see you every day when we live together and you're our friend, no matter what, like that doesn't change.

Speaker 2:

Blah, blah, blah. So they were amazing, like the first people I told was phenomenal, great beta test. They were wonderful people, wonderful people. And from there then you kind of just you know, tell a few more people, and tell a few more people, and tell a few more people. And so I went basically my entire freshman year then figuring out who I was going to tell next and how I was going to do it. And then I told a friend from high school. She was cool with it. And then I told one of my sisters I have three sisters and one brother and she also went to MSUM. She was only three years older than me, so we were at campus at the same time. I remember we went to Pizza Ranch for some pizza, because we love Pizza Ranch, we love a cactus friend.

Speaker 2:

We all love it and I it's so weird, I had like planned it, Like this is the day I'm going to tell her that I'm gay, you know, but I have to have some excuse for us to get together. And she picked me up and she was dropping me back off at my dorm and I was just like, okay, well, you know, I have something I have to tell you the whole thing. And I was like I'm gay and she goes oh, I know, which is great and also really anticlimactic.

Speaker 1:

It really is and like, yes, I feel like that is one of those things that really happens often with siblings and you're well, if you knew why couldn't you just give me a little signal to be like, hey, safe space over here, right, because, like I built this up in my head, right, I would imagine you built this up in your head. Of course, you build it up in your head entire pizza ranch date without telling her until you were getting dropped off right, yeah, exactly, and like doing it as I'm ready to leave so that way, it's like you have a chance to process this while I'm not there and she just goes.

Speaker 2:

I know and I'm like, oh okay, and she goes and I still love you and I was like, I know I love you too, and then she goes and if you do anything to hurt yourself, I will dig you up from the grave and punch you. Which?

Speaker 1:

What a sweet sentiment.

Speaker 2:

Which is is, yeah, like bizarre, in a very like sibling way, like don't kill yourself or I'll hurt you, like, yeah, I get the thought was loving, you know, but in a very sibling way of like don't do it or I'm gonna, you know, give you a wedgie or something, and so that went well. And, thinking about it, she definitely had known for a very long time, because I remember back in high school in one of our college English classes, we had to do this very big paper, like this huge research paper, and we got to pick a topic that we had to do research on and blah, blah, blah. And her topic that she chose I remember this is 2009, so you know, go back to then was do you choose to be gay or are you born gay? That was her research topic what was her conclusion?

Speaker 2:

a year born, okay yeah, right ally from the beginning, right, yeah and so that was her whole research paper. Then, like you, had to like state a thesis and you know all of this sort of stuff, and so that was her, her topic, and when she was then a senior, I would have been in ninth grade, so she was dropping little hints. I suppose you could say that she knew what was going on and, you know, wanted to understand more about it. Anyway, so then I went along and told you know family and friends, and everything went well. Everything went well, except the funniest story when I told my now best friend, except the funniest story when I told my now best friend Hannah. You know her as well, and she was shook.

Speaker 1:

Right, what? Yes, okay, she was shook.

Speaker 2:

And this is so funny because if anyone knows Hannah, now she's the biggest fruit fly you have ever met in your life Like she walks into a room and she like sniffs out a gay man and goes up to him and becomes friends, like that is, that is how she does this. And so we were all in hanging out with a bunch of high school friends of like meeting up during college you know, one night, like hey, yeah, whatever, whatever. And we had wanted to go on some like friend trip for spring break, which never happened, but anyway, and we were talking about it and my thought was, okay, well, if we're gonna go on a trip together, you do this, which I don't know why I always had to like preface it with things like that, but I felt like I needed to preface it.

Speaker 1:

Just in case, you brought a boy back to the shared hotel room. Right yeah, like one of us are sleeping in the same bed.

Speaker 2:

And I'm like oh, hey guys, by the way, this is Jake, you know like I'm not going to do it anyway, but I was looking for an excuse to bring it up, obviously, and that is what my brain decided was the best way to do it at the time. And it was with Hannah, another girlfriend of ours, and then a friend who is a guy, a very straight guy, and I was very nervous how everyone was going to react. But the guy friend his name is Gabe was so cool about it. He was like, okay, yeah, that's fine, I don't care. And that night we were all going to like drink and then pass out at the house and there were two beds and we were going to have to share. And this guy and I had like slept in the same bed before and I was like okay, well, so not to be weird, I'll sleep on the couch, you can have the room, because I don't want you to be weirded out now that I told you I'm gay. And he was like Jordan, no, I know, that's not how this works. And I was like okay, you're great, Like you're awesome. So that was really great. But my friend Hannah was, eyes wide open, mouth dropped, like what You're, huh? And now she tells the story and we make fun of it. She was like I don't know if I can like spend the night here, Like I don't know, can I be around a gay person Like.

Speaker 2:

She also went to my very conservative school and grew up in a very conservative family and you know everything about everything in her life. Much like mine, was grounded in conservatism and so she couldn't believe it. Like in school, when there was the arguments of it should gay people be able to adopt children, she was on team no, they should not. And she was team no, they should not be married. And she was team you choose to be gay. All of that's different. Now I will say so, if you see her, don't hate her. She's now the biggest ally you've ever met in your life, which I think is great and shows how people can change, you know, once they see the light and kind of personify an issue. But she was shook about the whole thing, which is hilarious, and like I don't know if I can be friends with you anymore. Like oh my gosh, I can't believe you're gay. Blah, blah, blah. And I should even back it up. And we became friends, Hannah and I, through a group called Teenage Republicans Stunning.

Speaker 1:

Right the number of like young Republican groups that ended up just producing so many gay men in my conservative household and I've always been interested in politics, and so what do you believe Generally? You believe what?

Speaker 2:

your parents believe. Okay, well, in rural Minnesota, what is that? You know generally conservative values, especially if you're Catholic. You know we weren't the Kennedy or Biden brand of Catholic either, and so that's just what you believe and what you go for. But yeah, hannah and I became friends in Teenage Republicans, also called TARS, which I don't know where they get the it's both are one word, so I don't know why they just took letters from it. Anyway, and we went on a trip to see Sarah Palin in person, yes, and at the time, governor Tim Pawlenty and we were in a live like studio taping of Sean Hannity's show.

Speaker 1:

The layers of this story Keep going.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and like we were committed, we would put out yard signs for candidates and door knock and we're all about it, like we're completely about it, had the bumper stickers and everything. We were so into Sarah Palin, it was unbelievable, which, looking back now, like say whatever you want about her and her policies. I'm not going to talk about that. But she is a woman who ascended to a very high position and, from a gay standpoint, she dresses fabulously. She does. I mean, she's a former pageant winner, so obviously she knows how to work that. And so here, little gay me is looking at this confident woman who is up on stage dressed to the nines and, yes, I'm obsessed, you know.

Speaker 2:

So that was how Hannah and I became friends is through our Teenage Republicans group and we would go to the cities and we met with then Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota. Funny, we met with him right when he was in the middle of the recount against Al Franken and at the time dumb high school me was convinced Al Franken was stealing this election. That lie has been out there for a long time. Donald Trump did not just come up with it, but anyway. So then it became hilarious because as a college student I worked for Al Franken, and now I work for the senator who is also in his seat.

Speaker 1:

Conversion therapy worked Right. Right, I got to be careful how we say that because, like you know you know this probably better than anybody those little clips are oh, someone is going to cut this of me being like Al Franken stole the election and they're going to say Jordan Schreier believes this.

Speaker 2:

But anyway, that's how the internet can work sometimes, but you're in a safe space.

Speaker 1:

We have tens of listeners.

Speaker 2:

I'm, I've said, worse at a bar, so I'm not too worried. But yeah, so that's how Hannah and I became friends and that's why, when I told her my now best friend in the entire world, she could not imagine it and had the hardest time coming to terms with it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, there is a reality, when you have established a relationship with somebody and then you add this new layer to it which feels like a significant departure from who you know and what you know of them, that it's really significant for that person to make that shift and I know I've had friends whose parents have really struggled through that shift. But I think it's really lovely also to hear the really positive, like the triumphant stories like you and Hannah, and now you're besties and you are remind me, the FNF you are.

Speaker 2:

Fun and frivolity.

Speaker 1:

Fun and frivolity, fun and frivolity. So anyway, I'd love to jump because I love this about you. We've already talked for 30 minutes.

Speaker 2:

I was about to say you can tell me to be quiet anytime.

Speaker 1:

I love it because I can cut this down a little bit. But I want to get to the point of this podcast. And Jordan, you've had a really incredible beginning to your career. Right, you're relatively young I mean old for our gay world but relatively young.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm 30, in case anyone's wondering You're 30.

Speaker 1:

You've lived in really significant careers. Already You're making the transition to a new career. You have great friends. You're really like building a community that I think you want to be a part of. But as we talk about all of those things, I really want to like open it up to you to say what's your pride story.

Speaker 2:

Pride is a different thing for every person first off, so my definition of it is by no means what everyone else's is. You know, it's just kind of what I live my life by. But my pride story is finding out who you are and then loving that person unapologetically. And that is so much easier said than done and I have not even came to that full realization point of doing that yet. But it is walking into a room and saying, hi, this is me, this is who I am and I'm not going to apologize for me and I'm not going to apologize for who I am.

Speaker 2:

Now, some of my actions absolutely, you know I should apologize for those. They're not always great, but me as a being, my essence, my human nature, is what it is when it comes in terms to my sexuality, and I am no longer necessarily going to live in a place where I am afraid to say who I am or be what I am Now. Does that mean that there aren't still situations when I am in meetings or in talking to people and when it gets brought up because weirdly it gets brought up?

Speaker 2:

more often than it ever should. I like you kind of get a pit in your stomach a little bit. You get a little nervous and you're like do I say it? Do I drop a hint? How do I approach this? You know, when people ask, do you have a girlfriend, what do I say? Do I just say no and move on? Or do I say I'm gay? Or if I was dating someone, do I say no, but I have a boyfriend? Or do I just say you know, do you have a girlfriend? Yes, his name is Michael. You know how do you approach that. And so your pride story is just trying to become the most comfortable with yourself that you possibly can be and surrounding yourself, hopefully, with people who also support that what advice do you have for the young gay boy in perham that is maybe struggling with some of the same things that you did?

Speaker 2:

thankfully, the world is really changing and it's still not great, but it better and we need to keep working to make it better, which is great. I go to high schools now and I see they have like gay straight alliances and these people are taking their same sex couples going to prom, and there are people who are just oh yeah, connor, he's gay. You know people just know that about people and it's fine, which is amazing. However, I know that's not always the people and it's fine, which is amazing. However, I know that's not always the case, and even in a very supportive environment, being gay is something that all of the systems in which we live have told us is wrong, and that hasn't fully changed. The systems still tell us that the way we live is wrong or, at the least offensive, is incredibly different, which I mean it is, but everything in the world around us is set up in heteronormativity, and so that is how the world operates, and we will always have to find a way to live within that system.

Speaker 2:

But to people who are struggling, whether young or older as well, there is no right time and there is no wrong time to be who you are. I love a quote that is the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today, and I understand that not everyone is maybe in a situation where they can fully be themselves today. But just work toward that. Think about what that could be and think about what your life could look like, and hopefully the people that you really care about will come along with you on that journey. I was very lucky in that I had that experience. Not everyone does. But think about whether you want to live a lie for somebody else or do you want to be true for yourself.

Speaker 1:

Oh man, you called me Oprah. I think that's our Oprah moment.

Speaker 2:

There it is, so it's difficult. Everyone has their own journey and there's no one right way or wrong way to do it Just your way.

Speaker 1:

Jordan, thank you so much for joining us on Pride Stories the podcast. We appreciate you, we appreciate your story, we appreciate you sharing your story with us, as well as the advice that you've given. And again, thanks for being a part of our community and sharing your pride.

Speaker 2:

All right, that's great, I'll sashay away.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to Pride Stories, the podcast. I'm your host, max Kringen, and it's been an honor to bring this story to your ears. Pride Stories is proudly presented by Tellwell Story Cohen Studio. We have an incredible team that makes this podcast possible every single week, including executive producers Max Kringen and Duncan Williamson, contributing producers Matt Prigge, jordan Ryan, kirstina Trujillo and Ashley Rick, with additional support by Sandy Keene, annie Wood and the entire team at Towel Story Co and Studio. If you've been inspired, moved or entertained by anything you've heard in this episode, please consider supporting our mission. You can do that by subscribing to the podcast, leave a five-star review or simply share it with a friend or family member. Your support helps keep the stories alive and resonating, and if you feel compelled to share your own pride story, we'd be honored to listen. Please visit the link in the description of this episode to get in touch. No matter where you are in your journey, whether you're out and proud or just finding your voice, remember you have a story to tell and it deserves to be heard.