How Torri became proud of her bisexuality

Torri tells us how she overcame discrimination and rejection and eventually became proud of her bisexuality…

My name is Torri and I have been bisexual since I was a teenager, this is my story.

Due to a lot of trauma, when I was 22 I ended up in a Christian rehab facility in Sheffield called City Hearts, I was there for my eating disorder and my depression which was controlling my life. I will later return to what happened here.

Prior to City hearts, I had already left a Christian rehab center called Mercy Ministries for maltreatment; forcing me to eat meat when I was a vegetarian and triggering me with strict discipline (which was issues I faced in childhood; which ultimately resorted into my eating disorder and depression) Their response was that I had to “serve God” after I explained that I couldn’t understand why cleaning the outdoor White fence with a toothbrush would help heal me (Because I failed to return my scissors on time) After leaving my degree to go to this place, I was broken as I had but all my heart and soul into the place to get better. I was there for 2 weeks and was no better. so after returning to my sisters I continued to look for support and found City hearts a month later.

I entered City hearts on the 5th December 2008 and left January 28th 2009, this place was structured and Christian based, but the discipline was not as harsh nor as intense Christian study as Mercy Ministries. I was unaware that the volunteers for this establishment were not trained in any of the issues the girls had in the center and were only young girls from the church which were roped into volunteering without any guidance, this in itself was detrimental.

Anyway, ton the 27th January, we had a cinema visit, after the cinema, a girl and I who I had become close with both needed to bathroom, however with the long ques, we both went into the disabled toilet together. A couple of minutes later, one of the group leaders where banging insessivly on the bathroom door instructing us to come out imminently, where we were told that we were discussing and vile for sharing the bathroom together and that we would be facing a disciplinary in the morning.

The next morning I went to the head office, I was told that it was not appropriate for two girls to share a bathroom together and that I would have a choice then of having one week out of the program to clean the Church and offices or to leave. I soon realized, that I wasn’t really getting the choice and I had to leave as they passively aggressively told me that I was ungodly and Ville for my acts that I liked women (This of course was written in my application form, as I am truthful) As I packed up my belongings, I learned that the other girl did not get a disciplinarian, just me (Because of course she was straight)

So I was removed from the center for being bisexual.
I didn’t speak about my sexuality for many years after that, until I was in my 30’s. Now I’m proud bisexual and also recovered, despite the additional traumas I received from the Christian rehab centers that were supposed to help me (Also I’m no longer Christian, but a spiritual person) I’m glad I’ve finally found my colors and smile.

Torri’s advice

Know your worth and leave, like I did with the first place, because no one should make you feel inferior as we are all one. No one should be discriminated against for their sexuality.

Thanks so much for reading my story.