Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

TexasTowelie

(111,319 posts)
Wed Feb 27, 2019, 05:19 PM Feb 2019

Everyone loved me as Cosmo the Cougar, but would they love who I was behind the mask?

As Cosmo the Cougar at Brigham Young University, I kept the best part of my life a secret from everyone around me by wearing a mask. I traveled the country, performed for millions of people, took pictures with screaming fans, signed autographs and danced like no one was watching — even though everyone was.

My senior year as Cosmo was unforgettable. It was thrilling to watch fans around the globe share Cosmo’s newest dance video, which garnered hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms. I performed live on ESPN at the College Football Awards, and NBC Sports dubbed 2017-2018 the “Year of the Mascot” in honor of Cosmo’s viral influence. When I was Cosmo, I felt invincible.

As scary as it seemed to dance in front of 60,000 people, an even scarier thought often crept into my mind — “If they knew who I really was, would they hate me?”

I wore another mask while I was at BYU — a mask to cover the shame I felt for being “different.” For years I pleaded with God to change my sexual orientation, but after returning to BYU from a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I began realizing that being gay is an integral part of who I am. As I grappled to develop a better understanding of myself, I felt immense pressure to hide my sexual orientation. I was hyper-aware of what some of my peers said about the gay community, how they viewed same-sex attraction and the often unkind and insensitive words they used to describe LGBTQ people — people like me.

Read more: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900057600/guest-opinion-everyone-loved-me-as-cosmo-the-cougar-but-would-they-love-who-i-was-behind-the-mask-byu-lgbt-gay.html

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Everyone loved me as Cosmo the Cougar, but would they love who I was behind the mask? (Original Post) TexasTowelie Feb 2019 OP
Maybe just coincidental... Saviolo Feb 2019 #1
he's not a furry PupCamo Feb 2019 #3
Oh, I realize. Saviolo Feb 2019 #4
ok PupCamo Feb 2019 #5
Comments in reply to the article. irisblue Feb 2019 #2

Saviolo

(3,270 posts)
1. Maybe just coincidental...
Wed Feb 27, 2019, 06:28 PM
Feb 2019

But it's amazing how many furries I know who, through explorations in a character that represents them, but is other than them, have come to understands about themselves. A character to play, or a literal mask to put on can be liberating, and can make people feel more at peace with themselves, or more able to work towards their ideal selves through their character. I know a few people who came to realize that the intense self-loathing they felt was in fact dysmorphia, and playing a female character allowed them to realize it.

Saviolo

(3,270 posts)
4. Oh, I realize.
Wed Feb 27, 2019, 10:40 PM
Feb 2019

But I'm a furry and I know lots of furries, and it's just interesting how being behind a mask can be liberating in some ways.

irisblue

(32,829 posts)
2. Comments in reply to the article.
Wed Feb 27, 2019, 08:42 PM
Feb 2019

🤦

wazzup - Cottonwood Heights, UT
Feb. 26, 2019 11:54 a.m.
I wonder how much of what he is feeling is just that..........his feeling about what other people might be feeling towards gays. The Church has gone out of the way to address the issue and every meeting I have been in that discussed the LGBTQ 'issue', all I ever saw was empathy and encouragement to love them just like anyone else. So it's not institutional. Just because the LDS Church doesn't support marriage between a man and a man or a woman and another woman, doesn't mean they hate anyone. That's why I think the gay community is losing some of their support. If you don't approve of gay marriage, you must hate gays. People have had enough of this nonsense and thus becoming increasingly less tolerant?


a_voice_of_reason - Woods Cross, UT
Feb. 26, 2019 12:07 p.m.
Excellent article. These types of articles are eye-opening for those who are still struggling to understand the LGBTQ world.

I think one of the biggest struggles that exists at BYU or for many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we sometimes forget that opposing the most aggressive voices in the LGBTQ agenda does not mean being opposed to the individuals who are LGBTQ - regardless of where they fall within the continuum of the LGBTQ agenda ranging from seeking simple acceptance to demanding conformity with their worldview. The agenda and that "battle" should be removed from how we treat any individual.

When we put ourselves and others in "tribes" where we apply stereotypes and apply generalizations we take away all the myriad of other qualities and attributes that make us all unique and wonderful individuals. I am personally opposed to much of the LGBTQ agenda. However, this does not impact my ability to have LGBTQ friends. We may disagree on a few things that are important to us both. That's ok. My best friend also happens to be a Utah fan and that hasn't been a problem.



Well, I didn't see the F word used in the replys, so there is that. Closet life can and has killed.

Thanks for posting this Texas Towlie

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»LGBT»Everyone loved me as Cosm...