<span>The first ZOX I ever saw was Rise Above It. This resonated with me so much I had to have it! When I was younger I knew I was gay from about 15. Being in a small town I wasn't out, but people often accused me of being gay because I had short hair and played sports. It was the 90's so being gay wasn't as accepted as it is now. I first came out to my sister who was living in another state. She was so supportive and I thank her so much for that. My mum on the other hand was religious and told me that it was sin and that I was going to hell. I was devastated and didn't know how to cope so I started skipping school. I remember one night my younger brother saw two gay guys on tv around the same time I'd come out and said out loud that he thought all gays should be shot. I was devastated. I thought I would never get over it and spent a lot of time spiraling in and out of depression. When I moved out, I found ways to escape through drugs and alcohol. It wasn't until I met my current partner that I really began to Rise Above what my mum and brother had said and the way they felt. We've been together going on 8 years, we have two beautiful children. My mum is a proud LGBTQ+ supporter, it took her to see me in a loving strong relationship to see that. My brother has never met my partner and I haven't seen him in almost 12 years. There is still healing to do but having a reminder on my wrist every day that I can rise above the tough times makes things easier.</span>
