MTV's 'True Life' Upcoming Queer Opportunities

MTV's True Life is a docu-series which features various young people going through extraordinary circumstances in life. There are two upcoming tapings that may be of interest to readers here, one about being passable as hetero-normative, and the other about athletes coming out to their teammates.

TRUE LIFE: I'M PASSING
Are you "passing" as someone you're not? Have you been passing in school, at work, in your community or anywhere else as being of a different race, gender or sexual orientation from what you actually are? Are you are a transsexual female who passes as someone who was born a female? Or maybe you're a person of color who passes as a white person. Or perhaps your schoolmates or colleagues think you're straight while in fact you're gay.

Do you try to pass as someone other than who you are for a particular reason? Do you feel it gives you an advantage of some kind at work, school or with your friends? Or do others look at you and simply decide for themselves? Do you correct them or do you enjoy passing? Are you considering "coming out" and putting your days of passing behind you?

If you are passing as someone of a different race, gender, sexual orientation or otherwise, MTV wants to hear from you. If you appear to be between the ages of 15 and 28, please email us at passing@mtvn.com. Please be sure to include your name, location and phone number.

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TRUE LIFE: I'M COMING OUT TO MY TEAM
Are you planning to come out to your teammates? Have you been afraid or hesitant to come out to your sports team as gay, bisexual, or transsexual but are now planning to reveal yourself? Perhaps you've already come out to your friends and now have to face the upcoming season with teammates who still think you're straight? Or maybe you're unsure of how your fellow athletes would react if they knew, and thus have not come out to anyone?

Whatever your situation may be, if you are planning to come out to your teammates and appear to be between the ages of 15 and 28, MTV wants to hear from you. Please email us at comingout@mtvn.com and be sure to include your name, location and phone number.

For more info or to check other upcoming episodes goto True Life - MTV

Happy National Coming Out Day!

Happy National Coming Out Day! Every year on October 11th, we celebrate a day where we decide to be true to ourselves and come out to friends, family, co-workers, and anyone in our lives. It serves as an international day to come out of the closet and discuss lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersexual, and asexual issues. Coming Out is a personal as well as sometimes political/symbolic action on the part of sexual and gender minorities. It is about the public expression of ones identity and the desire to live openly, honestly, and without fear. The coming out process is a difficult one and a life-long journey, it is about being true to yourself as well others.

Studies show that people who know queer people are much more likely to be sympathetic to LGBTQ rights. Coming out is indeed an activist step that not only serves to advance the cause of the gay community but also to liberate yourself from living in the shadows and suffering with shame.

Coming out is not easy and should not be dismissed as such, many people spend many years or even decades with the task of debating whether to live honest and open lives. It is not advisable to come out if you face the risk of physical harassment or if you feel your financial status is threatened by being out. If those variables do not apply to you, there are many resources to assist you in the coming out process. Such as great websites, forums, videos, and more.





Resources for Coming Out:

Empty Closets-A forum/chat and resources.
LGBT Center Directory-Find social, political, and support groups in your area.
HRC-Information for coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
Coming Out as a Straight Ally-PFLAG's guide for straight allies of LGBTQ people.
The Trevor Project-Free 24 hour hot line suicide prevention and help.
Gay & Lesbian National Hotline-Free telephone and email peer counseling (youth and adult services).
About.com's Gay Life-Articles & information on coming out.
OUT Path-A compilation of coming out stories.

Web Spotlight: LGBT Chat

LGBT Chat is a newly created community based forum with discussion topics relevant to queer identity and issues. Among the sub-forums are specific identity boards, coming out, relationship, family, religion, health and many others.