Sports Editor
Normally, it seems like life-changing secrets are only found in the movies.
However, when Mat Coronado revealed his secret to the world, the effects were absolutely real.
“It took me nearly three years to admit I was gay,” Coronado said. “It’s tough to admit to something that nobody in po-dunk Wyoming will accept.”
Coronado, a 20-year old music major at CMU, was born and raised in Greybull, Wyo. Greybull is an isolated town with only 1,800 people, most of whom share traditional, conservative values. Although Coronado was raised in this traditional lifestyle, there was a certain point that he realized he was different.
“I always sensed it from a very young age,” Coronado said. “I wasn’t comfortable or self-accepting of it until recently. I couldn’t be gay, that wasn’t an option. Looking back on it now, it was the pressure from the conservative society I grew up in that made me reject it, and altered my view on the matter.”
When Coronado was in high school, he began to really understand his sexuality, but he was unsure if others would accept it.
“High school was pretty sh*tty,” Coronado said. “I was a closeted gay. It caused me to be nervous and paranoid all the time, which made me a social outcast.”
Coronado survived high school and was accepted into CMU’s Vocal Performance program on scholarship. After a few months of acclimating to the college atmosphere, Coronado realized that starting life in a new town would be his chance to come clean and live honestly.
“In high school, the only gay people I knew of were estranged celebrities and creepy old meth-heads,” Coronado said. “Once I made it to college, I realized that gay people don’t have to fight to be normal.”
During the winter break of his freshman year at CMU, Coronado decided that it was finally time to reveal his sexuality. He had to face his parents, relatives and friends, which wasn’t an easy task.
“[My parents] were among the first that I told,” Coronado said. “When I first told them, they seemed cool and passive about the subject, and I took that as a shocking sign.”
Coronado had no trouble with his parents until he mentioned that he was going public on Facebook.
“Their reaction then was a ‘Oh, it’s permanent, is it?’ like it was some passing fancy,” Coronado said. “From that point, things got harder for a while. My parents are very religious and still have a very hard time reconciling my sexuality and their faith.”
However, Coronado’s parents slowly began to accept his sexuality, despite being confused and worried about the social consequences that gays can potentially face. After the dust had settled from Coronado’s announcement, he realized that life was a lot easier.
“There are no more lies, social awkwardness, or paranoia,” Coronado said. “I never knew it would be this easy to be honest with people.”
This year, Coronado has taken a huge step in showing the world his true identity.
Now that I have a boyfriend, I can’t imagine life as being closeted anymore,” Coronado said. “I know that there’s people who judge me for who I am, but I’m used to it. I’m a minority in so many ways, and it makes me proud of who I am.”
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