When I first set up my "Just a Boy in the World" column (see column, below) and gave the address to one of my friends I was very hesitant.  Just as with coming out originally, I had not known what the overall reaction would be to this website and how people will view me due to the website.  I guess you can say I was quickly deceived at the reaction of my school, and that I was jumping to conclusions about what their reactions were.
     When I had created this website I told one of my friends.  This "new gossip" quickly spread around the school just as it had done when I came out.  Since their comments were made in secrecy and through AOL, I was initially unaware of this being done.  One day in my Spanish class, my friend Chris told me that everyone knows about the site and they are sending it to each other through AOL.  I was deeply irked by this comment so I went into another state of panic because I was afraid there was going to be an overwhelmingly negative reaction.  I remembered that a lot of people were not comfortable with me coming out in the first place, so I dreaded the idea of having people learn and read my site. 
     I was most embarrassed when a girl came up to me in Gym and asked if I had a website.  She was the first to ask me and a bunch of people heard so they all supported her question, for they had also known about it and were wondering if it was true.  So once again I went into the denial phase and once again had regretted it.  As I stated in my previous article, denial is bad, stick to the truth.  So I ran from the group in Gym without hearing further comments from them.
     As days passed I gave up my denial period and started answering "Yes I have a page at...www.kurfew.com...Go check it out!"  Even though I was doing this I was unaware of how people where reacting, what they thought about it, and how they would treat me.  I took all of these questions and answered them for myself in a negative way.  This is what made me upset and worried until I started talking to the kids at my school.
     Chris had told me how all the kids who disliked me have been to the site.  He also said how they said it in a general and calm way, not being scornful and belligerent.  After much though I have realized that this website might have been a good idea.  So I decided to keep my picture up and everything else hinting to the school kids, on the website, that it was me.
     As an overall reaction the kids at school, I feel, have a deeper respect for me.  They think what I am doing is good and I should continue, so I have all their support.  Maybe there are still some kids who have a problem with my website and me being gay in general, but I have never received a comment against my website before and I hope I never will.  They all respect me more and are able to understand who I am more.
     I think this whole article relates back to coming out in many ways.  You cannot determine how people will react to the sudden change in their lives and other peoples lives.  In my case, people have learned to respect me for who I am and what I am doing in life.  It is also important not to jump to conclusions about how you think others will react because most of the time you will be wrong, just as I was.  I also stress how important it is to put the denial aside and live up to what you are bringing out to your school or community or the world.

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