I had accidentally enrolled in queer theories, and was apparently the only straight person in the room. Yes, that really happened. At first, I laughed at myself because accidentally enrolling in the wrong class is so something I would do. But after really thinking about it, I decided this could be an interesting opportunity, and that I was not going to drop the class.

On the first day of classes last semester – the second semester of freshman year in college – I walked into a room of students who all looked very different from me. I slowly shuffled my feet as I searched for an open seat next to someone, anyone, who looked similar to me – a person I could be friends with. My voice cracked as I asked one girl if I could sit next to her. I was so nervous. I had never felt so out of place, but I couldn’t put my finger on why.

Then my Professor walked into the room and said, “Alright class, good morning! Welcome to Composition 2 with an emphasis on queer studies.”

…. I’m sorry, what??? I thought to myself, Queer studies?? I thought I enrolled in regular Comp 2!!! The little voice in my head was freaking out!

I had accidentally enrolled in queer theories, and was apparently the only straight person in the room. Yes, that really happened. At first, I laughed at myself because accidentally enrolling in the wrong class is so something I would do. But after really thinking about it, I decided this could be an interesting opportunity, and that I was not going to drop the class.

You see, I grew up in the buckle of the bible belt where everyone is straight and white and “loves Jesus,” so I hadn’t really been exposed to the things I would be learning about in this class. I had never experienced being a minority. I had never really even been in a class where most people didn’t share the same views as me.

I called my parents and we all had a good laugh. But afterwards, we ended up having a really insightful conversation and obviously (being a pastor’s kid), the conversation got turned back to Jesus.

We talked for a long time about how Jesus ate with the tax collectors and prostitutes, the diseased and the broken, widows, and adulterers. He even hung on a cross in between two thieves (even though He had lived a sinless life). He wasn’t afraid to break bread and even love people who were different – outcasts – and neither should we.

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