Kurt & Fletcher / Australia
We watched Star Trek and Ninja Turtles. The closest MacDonalds was 750kilometres away. There were 60 people in our town- I think 15 of those were kids. It was very remote, without the noise or buzz of the city- just peace. The people in our village were like one big, happy family. But when people learned that I was gay I lost all of that. People ostracized me and I spent a lot of time alone. I used to dream about running away but never did because I loved my family too much. On reflection the single hardest thing growing up gay was how it made Fletch feel having an older gay brother; how much he was judged by his mates and how hard that would have been for him to come to terms with his own sense of self.” Kurt & Fletcher are brothers and best friends from Australia. Both of them are gay. Their childhood was difficult but now both are strong happy men. “In hindsight we love where we are from- the isolation, our difference, it shaped who we are as adults- two strong, confident men who love life and recognise that with the right attitude and family you can achieve anything that you set your soul to. You live once. Dance! the adventure that the world has gifted you is exceptional. Love will always win unequivocally. xx”
Best words I ever heard; “What comes out of the mouths of others is about them – not you” I want to everyone to hear this. You guys are beautiful – thanks for contributing to this article – it is thought provoking
your t-shirt with “carpe diem” and your words and love for your brother match each other beautifully. Seize the day!
this story resonates so much with my own. I was being called a faggot before i even knew my own sexuality, the mentality of small towns can be so cruel. Such a sharp contrast between with the beauty of their locations. But as you guys said, it shapes you into an adaptable and confident person. I hope that young people growing up in rural Australia will read this story and know they’re not abnormal, I sure wish I had read a story like this during my confused state.
mATTHEW i HAD EXACTLY THE SAME EXPERIENCE GROWING UP IN RURAL sOUTH aFRICA……DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THESE SLURS AND NAMES i WAS CALLED MEANT, BUT I CLEARLY GOT THE MESSAGE THAT IT WAS BAD. tOOK ME UNTIL MY TWENTIES TO REJECT ALL OF THAT AND ACCEPT MYSELF AS GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL IN MY OWN WAY.. sOOO HAPPY FOR THE WAY IT TURNED OUT FOR KURT AND FLETCH AND FOR YOU EVENTUALLY. TO LIFE…!!!
This is such a touching story, so many parallels with my own growing up experience and yet so unique. Isolation has a lot to answer for – while character building, it can be EQUALly as destructive as it can be a powerful force for strength. What brave, beautiful men. Good luck to you both XX