Kia Ora. Welcome to episode 34 with my friend Phil. Phil was brought up in California in a religious family. He started feeling and knowing he was ‘different’ when he was around four years old. Phil liked boys but he also knew that he needed to hide that to fit in. Phil talks to us about his life of confusion as he tried to navigate his childhood. Then when he became a teen he realized there was a name for how he was feeling. Gay. He was met with bullying, however, when he confided in a trusted friend and his high school found out. His days were met with violence and verbal abuse. His parents kicked him out of home and then he became homeless. He tried to make it work but one night gave up and attempted suicide. He was saved and then found a new vigor for life and graduated high school and went to college. Phil has been married to his husband since it was legal in Idaho and has been with James almost 22 years. He’s now an educator for Paul Mitchell and is thriving. Come listen to a story of courage and connect with Phil. Ka kite ano au i a koutou