Letters to My Brother {tyler clementi}

[xchrom]

http://www.out.com/news-commentary/2012/02/01/tyler-clementi-james-letters-my-brother


Tyler (left) and James Clementi / Photo courtesy James Clementi

I ’m not sure when I first realized my younger brother was gay. I think I knew he was for as long as I knew I was. I had no idea how to bring it up; it was just something we left dangling in the air, unsaid. I was open about my sexuality with friends, but around my family there was this barrier that felt unbreakable. It slowly dawned on me that I wasn’t the only one, that I had a brother who was also gay -- my baby brother, whom I had always felt protective and paternal toward. I knew I was in a position to be a confidant, a role model. But I wasn’t ready to do any of that. It would have made it much less lonely for me to grow up with an older brother who had gone through and understood everything I was dealing with -- and I wanted to be that for Tyler. I didn’t start to come out to the people in my life until I was in my early twenties, so I always thought Tyler would follow the same timeline and we wouldn’t need to address the rainbow-colored elephant for a few more years. I was terrified to talk to him, accustomed to secrecy and scared I would make everything worse somehow.

The summer after Tyler graduated from high school we made plans to see Toy Story 3 together, and I looked up the schedule online. I walked into his room without knocking to ask what times would work for him, and there was that awkward moment where he realized that I was standing behind him. I realized my little brother was looking at gay porn. Caught off guard, I acted like I hadn’t seen it, and I think he was initially relieved. But from this moment, there was a growing anxiety, an urgent pull from inside myself that was compelling me to talk to him, and I knew it was time -- probably way past time. I gave myself a day to stress out over the right words, the best place, the perfect time. And then I just did it.

It was the Fourth of July. We had spent the day at the movies, the diner, the fireworks. So many opportunities, and I kept chickening out. That night, I found him in the house listening to Katy Perry, and I saw that, if I couldn’t do this now, something was really wrong with me. I overthought it -- because it ended up being this simple.

Me: “I’m gay.”
Tyler: “Oh. Me too.”

[johnnypneumatic]

1. there is also a ten picture slideshow of Tyler

and his brother, and one of all 3 of them, it is so totally heartbreaking seeing the two brothers together, knowing the younger one is gone, especially one where little Tyler is given a ride on his brothers back (picture #6)
http://www.out.com/news-commentary/2012/02/01/james-clementi-tyler-rutgers-family-photos#slide-1

[MarkCharles]

3. Gosh those pictures are wonderful. n/t

[MarkCharles]

2. Such a loss of a wonderful young man, and for both other brothers

who survive. It must be so hard for both of them.

That family looks like any family, as, of course, it is!!!

[William769]

4. ...

[dickthegrouch]

5. We had similar experiences

Except I formally came out to my brother when he was 16 and I was 20, although I had been all but out since I was 12. It took him another 10 years to tell me he is also gay.

Most of the reason I didn't come out completely when I was in High School was I knew that he would suffer if I did. We were not terribly close, but I wanted him to be be able to live without my "shadow". By the time I was 19 I was starting the gay students club in my university (this was in the mid-70s) and generally trying to break my rural upbringing conditioning in an explosive way.

He was the first to take a boyfriend to meet the parents though. But he was outraged that several years later, I was the first to be allowed to sleep in the same bed as my bf in our parents' house.

I know James will miss Tyler, but I'm glad he has such wonderful photos to remember his brother with.