A New Type of Cultural Immersion

I just recently moved into my apartment at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  My apartments I live in have 4 students assigned to a 2 bedroom apartment.  After I got my roommate assignments, I quickly noticed that I was the only one in the apartment that wasn't heterosexual.

It has been 2 years since I have lived with straight roommate, that experience was very interesting for the both of us (considering he was living with two gay roommates).  It has been 3 years since I've lived with a straight person I don't know, except 3 years ago, I wasn't out of the closet and for some of the time I was oblivious to my same-gender attractions.

But now here I am, I'm out, I've been through so many life experiences since then.  I'm a huge advocate for social justice for LGBT people, and I'm living with 3 heterosexual males.  I have to admit that I was very nervous at first, I still am in fact.  Of what?  That's what I'm not sure about.  I guess that I want my apartment to be a safe place for me and perhaps nervous that by living with 3 straight roommates that's not possible.  Wonderfully, I have no complaints about my roommates though.

I haven't taken it upon myself to come out to them though.  Part of me feels that it might be unnecessary, since most people can just sort of figure that out after 10 minutes of talking with me.  Plus, if they glance at my book collection, or see the rainbow stole I have in my room, they might just get it on their own.  But I also feel it's unnecessary, because I want them to get to know me as just Vincent, as opposed to Vincent the Gay.

As much as I want them to learn more about the LGBTQ community, by experiencing living with a gay student, I feel that in this scenario, I think I will be the one that will be learning more.  I admit that I have had some preconceived notions about heterosexual men.  I know that's not fair at all.  I have many ally friends that are guys.  But naturally, that's what came to my mind first.  The thoughts that they are gonna see me as less than a man, or that they are secretly homophobic, or something to that extent.  By living with these guys, I hope that I learn enough about them and they can learn enough about me, so that I can continue to bridge this gap of awkwardness and resistance between the straight and LGBTQ communities.

I really do need some prayer support though.  It's going to be a journey.