Gay man shares story of rejection and adoption

A young man from Michigan has recalled how he was adopted as a 15-year-old by his friend’s parents after his own family disowned him for being gay.

In quotes picked up by Queerty, Corey Nichols revealed that while growing up his birth father used to beat him – and he once heard his birth father say: “If any fag lived in this house, I would shoot them in the head with a shotgun.”

In an interview with Out in Santa Cruz last month (March), Corey and his adoptive mother Mindy explained how the family took Corey in after Mindy oversaw messages he had sent to her daughter in which he claimed the situation at home had left him feeling suicidal.

“It was like I was possessed by someone else,” Mindy said. “I knew I needed to act, and to do something, but everything I did was against my nature and not how I usually act as a person.”

Mindy and her husband Dale let Corey stay with the family temporarily, but after the attitude of Corey’s family failed to improve, the couple filed a petition to formally adopt him. His birth parents failed to show up on the day of the court hearing to contest the adoption.

“I want the world to know that Corey is a beautiful human being,” continued Mindy. “I want the world to see Corey’s pain and know it is not necessary.

“Sexuality is such a small part of who we are. First and foremost Corey is a loving, genuine, caring, intelligent human being.”

Since going public with the story last month, Corey’s birth family has alleged that he is lying, with his brother James publishing the following post on his Facebook page:

For all you that read my brothers little pity story on here, it’s a joke and I’m honestly in shock someone has enough nerve to lie about shit like that. Yes some is true but the major key points are false. If anyone has a problem come to me my brother is a fake and a coward. He has the power to manipulate a person better then anyone I know.

“Standing up for what is right is not always easy, but it is always right,” Mindy continued. “I also want the world to know that we are a family. I want people to understand that genetics are just science. Families are built from unconditional love.”

Listen to Corey and his adoptive mother Mindy’s full interview with Out in Santa Cruz below: