I have experienced the hard battle of being a gay guy in my Arabic society. It is always presumed by society that we are straight and should be having girlfriends. I found a girl and tried to be her boyfriend and a lover for three years. Sure, I used to love her from the bottom of my heart, but the love was not driven by sexual desire or attraction. I loved her as a person that existed in my life and I felt safe with.
After three years I came out to her by telling her that I’m gay and that we have no future together. On the last Valentine’s Day of our three years together, she gave me this ring. It symbolizes her belief that if our relationship is official and a ring exists between us, maybe one day I would be a straight guy, and in other words be a “normal” guy as she sees it.
I have kept this ring because it is a part of my past and the history of my life. And I did wear the ring, for her and because I love this kind of ring. I also wanted to show her that nothing would change simply because there is nothing wrong. Everything is normal and is exactly as it should be. This is who I am.