Meet Jose – Contributor

José is a Health Coach and Mental Health Worker. He is British born of Portuguese descent.  He lives in London and loves meditation, travelling and harbours dreams of travelling the world and being swept off his feet by a very special man.

In his own words:

Why did you contribute your story to ‘Love Me As I Am’?

I wanted to contribute to the book because I wanted to share my experiences with other gay teens, as well as teachers and parents. I want to highlight how difficult growing up gay can be and if my experience can help even just one gay boy or teenager, then it would have been worth it. I also want to highlight that it does get better. Despite my difficult school years, I have had amazing experiences and made wonderful friends.

What did writing your story mean for you. How did it impact your life?

Writing my story allowed me to let go of my painful past. My school years were very difficult and I do not want them to dominate my present or future. I am able to look forward with a renewed sense of optimism, while having a greater appreciation of what I went through and pride in myself for having survived it.