Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

I wish I hadn’t told them I was gay.

Not then, at least.

I peered into the lion’s mouth. Stuck my head right in. And somehow expected something different than drawing back wounded, bleeding.

I knew the map they were using. Full of treacherous territory. Quicksand of Overwhelming Certainty. The path I was on wasn’t sanctioned. Pointed to hell. Of that they were certain. Just as certain as I was that it led to freedom, despite their…