My friend Kenneth is usually the subject of utmost ridicule in our classroom. You see, he's gay and isn't afraid to show it. Our male classmates humiliate him by copying his actions and the way he talks in front of everyone, or, in other words, by pretending they're gay.
Kenneth is unfazed by all of this though. With his chin up, he usually snaps, "You're a disgrace to my kind!"
Sometimes, he adds "bitches" at the end. This usually makes me laugh, but I got to thinking about it this afternoon, and I started admiring him for his courage. I don't mean courage in battle or that kind of "macho" crap. I'm talking about the courage to be yourself, to show who you really are. I envy him for his courage to be proud of who he is.