You Are
The place for gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender students from religious educational institutions
since 1996.
STRONGER
THAN
YOUR PAST
It doesn't matter what level of school you are at. It doesn't matter what denomination of religious school you are attending or where you are in the world. (Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Mormon, Methodist, Baptist, etc.) If your religious school does not explicitly tell you that is okay to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender then HeartStrong is here for you!
HeartStrong is a nonprofit social justice organization founded in1996 to make sure that you know you are not alone. We were once students at religious schools and we know what it feels like to hope that no one notices your struggle.
We know what it is like to feel so lonely and discouraged that life does not seem worth living. We also know that being at a religious school means you may have to deal with someone outing you to school authorities and we know what they can make you do. We know it is not easy and we know about the pain.
You are why HeartStrong exists.
No matter how dark it gets, how much pain there is, and no matter what they make you do, there is hope, love and peace in life. And we want to help you find it.
If you are struggling and need help we are here to listen. We want you to make it through just like we did. Let us help.
Need to talk to someone? You may email us here. Is your school threatening to discipline or expel you? Have they already done it? Click here to tell us about it. Everything is confidential.
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Remember, you are not alone.
Coming out is most likely one of the hardest and yet one of the most courageous things a person can do.
Living life with courage allows us to close our eyes each night and sleep in peace. Leaving behind the idolatry of acceptance sets everyone free to find the place in their heart where courage waits to be unchained. When our social surroundings encourage dependency on acceptance from others instead of self-acceptance, achieving self-confidence seems meaningless.
To live life with confidence we must first look to our own heart. The same heart we looked to in the middle of our darkest moments when it felt like you were alone those nights when you wished for death rather than wake to another day. But you were never really alone. That same introspection must be revisited in order to find that mark where you can begin to live a confident life.
Each day lived with confidence leads to a life lived confidently. Days become weeks and months and without notice, confidence in yourself and who you are becomes a natural part of your existence and expression. Finding a path to living with courage, taking that courage and living with confidence paves the way to living our lives consistently.
Those who don’t understand the importance of us living life honestly should be exposed to our lives lived consistently. Hesitation on our part could cause family or friends to doubt our honesty. Not only does living life consistently show others the courage to be ourselves, it also strengthens our resolve to live confidently. Where ever you are on this journey, you are not alone.
"Those of us who have survived these institutions and who have come to love ourselves in spite of what they tried to do to us, must come together."
