Where
toturn
Friends, Peers, and Enemies 141
Resource Guide to Coming Out
http://www.hrc.org
This site is published by the Human Rights Commission. Elizabeth Birch,
HRC’s executive director, says, “No one should be denied the opportunity to
thrive and flourish as a full human being because his or her sexual orientation
is different from that of the majority.” The resource guide (click on “coming
out”) presents information about homosexuality, advice on coming out (to
yourself and others), and a list of additional resources including organizations,
books, and online links.
Youth Resource
http://www.youthresource.com
Youth Resource is a project of Advocates for Youth, an international organiza-
tion dedicated to meet the reproductive and sexual-health needs of young people.
The Youth Resource Web site is filled with personal coming-out stories and
wonderful art. It also includes information about making your school safe from
prejudice and violence.
MAKING AND KEEPING AGREEMENTS
Agreements are promises or understandings between people. You and your
friends probably have lots of agreements; some of these are spoken, like a verbal
promise to always be available to talk. But many agreements are unspoken
ones, like sticking up for each other or not telling each other’s secrets. Whether
spoken or unspoken, agreements should be respected and honored. This allows
you to build trust and to strengthen your relationship.
Suppose you and a friend agree to meet somewhere. You’re there on time,
and so is your friend. You’ve both kept your agreement, and you feel good that
you can count on each other. But what if your friend doesn’t show up? That’s