Alex Mettler

I didn’t come out until I was 25 and only did because I met my now wife. I was aware of it when I was in my early teens, but constantly pushed it away because I was raised to believe that homosexuality was a sin. My brother had come out a few years earlier and I remember my parents telling me how wrong it was so I kept it hidden until I couldn’t anymore.

Like the church I was in, I thought homosexuality was a sin and could be “prayed away” because it was a choice. I prayed so hard, but the feelings never went away. As I grew older I met some LGBTQ+ people and was able to have role models that fit how I felt.

I have come to fully accept that my sexuality is not a mistake and that God has loved me from the beginning. It was never a “God-issue”–just a people issue. My wife has been instrumental in accepting this as she grew up in a Catholic household and struggled with many of the feelings that I did growing up.

What resources were instrumental in my journey towards affirmation? Role models! Seeing other LGBTQ+ Christians has really solidified that I am not alone, even if just on the internet. I can’t wait for me and my wife to move to a community with more LGBTQ+ church involvement.

My life now is everything that I dreamed of as a kid but didn’t think I would be able to get. I never thought as myself as worthy of being happy because of my sexuality. I also never saw myself finding an unconditional love and being able to raise a family with my wife! I just graduated from grad school and we hope to start a family after a little bit of traveling!