- A lesbian college student came out when she was only 12
- This caused her home situation to become completely destroyed
- She has since fought to find a place in life, where she can help others in the same situation
A lesbian girl from Louisiana, in the U.S., has decided to tell her dire life story, in order to help other people in the same circumstances as she, and provide an uplifting message of endurance.
Niante Ricks came out to her mother when she was only 12 years old. The result: she threw her out. The next years would prove very difficult for this young teenager.
She lived with her half-sister, but her house was too far away from her school. Her father also rejected her. She even lived with her girlfriend’s family for a while, until the found out about their relationship. In the end, her nanny took her in until she graduated from high school.
Niante Ricks
READ ALSO: Children's Day 2017: TECNO Foundation visits kids in schools; distributes educational materials
“I don’t want younger kids to experience what I went through. I want to protect LGBT kids who aren’t even born yet,” Niante comments.
Luckily for Niante, she got transferred to a school called Sci Academy, with kind and supportive teachers. She says it “was my safe haven. There was a student-led Gay-Straight Alliance that made me feel welcomed and accepted. Most Louisiana schools don’t have groups like that.”
This state has a regulation which bars teachers from offering help to LGBT students. Niante has worked very hard to change those laws. “My first step was to create a presentation on bullying and discrimination toward LGBT youth in schools," she said. She managed to show it to New Orleans City Council members and staff from the mayor’s office.
READ ALSO: Hunter kills 13-pound GIANT bullfrog (photos)
Her new environment helped this brave girl to better her grades, and she earned a scholarship to study at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Niante has since regained communication with her mother, and “things have been better between us,” she concedes. “I want to help young people around the world, because there are so many countries where LGBT kids are harassed or threatened,” she affirms. Her hopes might well aid many in the same situation as hers.
Meanwhile, watch this video below: