I know deep inside that I'm a good person. I'm Honest, Genuine, and Kind.
But these people when they look at me, there's only one thing on their mind.

I'd like you to meet my relative, my friend. His name by the way is Ben.
It just so happens Ben is gay. He likes to sleep with men.

I know that when they look at me, they have all sorts of cruel thoughts.
Because to them it's abnormal, it's wrong, it's sick. Boys shouldn't sleep with other boys.

I know being a homosexual was not a choice in life.
But for years I let these people be cruel to me, because they think it's not right.

All through my years of growing up, people I trusted teased me and said terrible things.
They crushed my spirit and hurt me in ways, so I'd think is my life really worth living.

Yes - I've thought of suicide. Is it really a gutless way out?
I wonder if it would it be easier to kill myself. Than it would be to scream and shout.

Scream and shout at the top of my lungs. Hey I've got something to say.
My name is Ben. Yes I'm gay. But guess what? I was born this way.

Some think that it's a choice in life. Some think that you can choose.
Why would you choose to go through life having family and friends reject you.

I feel so scared inside myself. Too scared to express how I feel.
Sometimes I've sat and thought to myself I wish my life wasn't real.

I wish I wasn't born this way, I wish that I was born straight.
Maybe life would have been better then. Maybe life might be great.

For years I've carried this guilt inside, that I'd let my family down.
All these mixed emotions and feelings inside have my world spinning round and round.

I feel so confused within myself, arguing What's right? What's wrong?
Do I have the right to be proud I'm gay You tell me Is it right? Or is it wrong?

I hate these people for making me feel ashamed of myself and alone.
I wish they knew how it felt inside Not knowing where you belong.

I want them to know how it feels inside. To feel ashamed of themselves and alone.
To feel scared to express how they feel for they might lose the place they call home.

I also want them to know how it feels to lay awake at night and cry.
Feeling that in order to feel safe inside they must go through life telling lies.

Telling lies about who they are. Telling lies about how they feel.
I want them to feel how I felt inside when I wished my life wasn't real.

I hate the fact I think like this time and time again.
All I wanted in life growing up as a kid was the true love of family and friends.

Even though I often think like this I still don't know where to start.
To release years of anger and frustration that until now has controlled my heart.

Now the time has come for me where I must help myself,
to free my heart from all this pain before it destroys my health.

I'm so tired of feeling ashamed of myself. That's not what I like to do.
I know I have a right to be who I am. I deserve the right to feel proud and free just like you.

Now I hope the time has come where my heart can be set free.
So hopefully I can rebuild my life with the love of people I need.

Now I want everyone to know in their heart I have a right to be who I am.
Because - just like many others out there I never asked to be born different.

So now I leave you with this question. Is it really my sexuality that determines who I am?
Because all that really matters when it comes down to it is that I'm a good person

-Ben