Eleanor Roosevelt High School's Student-Run Newspaper

The Raider Review

Eleanor Roosevelt High School's Student-Run Newspaper

The Raider Review

Eleanor Roosevelt High School's Student-Run Newspaper

The Raider Review

Polls

Who do you think will win the 2024 Superbowl?

  • Chiefs (50%, 69 Votes)
  • 49ers (28%, 39 Votes)
  • Ravens (20%, 27 Votes)
  • Lions (1%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 137

Loading ... Loading ...

Ask Jethro: Shocked

Dear Jethro,

My best friend just recently told me that she is gay. As a girl I think it makes things kind of awkward and I really don’t want things to change between us. We’ve been friends for 10 years! What do I do?

-Shocked

 

Dear Shocked,

I know that a friend coming out to you may seem like a surprise at first, but know that if your friend trusted you enough to tell you, then you should feel honored and keep it a secret until she is ready to come out on her own. If you think that it’s hard to contemplate for you, then think about how much harder it is for her to come to this realization and possibly lose some of the people close to her if she tells them. Your friend was the same person you met 10 years ago, and things haven’t changed, except that now you know about her orientation. If you’re worried that she may have feelings for you, straight up ask her and don’t make things awkward. Just like straight people are not attracted to every single person of the opposite sex that they see, the same goes for gays and lesbians.  If your friend ever feels threatened because of her orientation, tell her to seek professional help from a guidance counselor or a trusted adult. I hope that in time, you will learn to be comfortable with and accept your friend’s sexuality.

Sincerely,

Jethro

 

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Raider Review
$25
$350
Contributed
Our Goal

Thank you for considering a donation! Your donation will support the student journalists of Eleanor Roosevelt High School - MD. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment, produce print editions and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributor
Jethro Punzalan
Jethro Punzalan, Advice Columnist
Jethro Punzalan is a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School and is currently a staff writer and the resident Advice Columnist of the Raider Review. He pioneered the advice column “Ask Jethro”. Various ERHS students send him questions about their dilemmas and problems and he answers them. Jethro has been writing articles for The Raider Review for about two years. He started in his sophomore year when Journalism was just a club, and not a class yet. He has always enjoyed writing, and when he heard about the Journalism club, he thought it would be the perfect opportunity to hone his writing skills and meet other people with similar interests. In his junior year, Journalism became an official class and Jethro was happy to be taking it with the new friends he made from the club. He is currently taking Journalism II. Jethro is originally from the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, and he plans to return there after high school. His top pick is the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and while he plans to become a Biology major, he plans to write for USC’s campus newspaper, The Daily Trojan, as an extracurricular. Other colleges he plans to apply to are Pacific Union College, the University of California - San Diego, the University of California - Santa Barbara, and the University of Maryland - College Park.
Donate to The Raider Review
$25
$350
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Raider Review Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Activate Search
Ask Jethro: Shocked