Throughout most of my life, I never knew who I was. However, when I discovered Glee and began to participate in my school’s theater department, my life changed for the better. I finally knew who I was meant to be, and that no one and nothing else would ever bring me down.
 
By the time the episode “Wheels” (1-9) was approaching its air date, I and my fellow Gleeks (at least those who had knowledge of the Broadway musical Wicked) knew the show-stopping number “Defying Gravity” would be a featured subplot in the episode. After hearing about this storyline with Kurt and Rachel, I decided that it was time to finally show my peers who I was.

I’d been made fun of in previous years for my way of living and my interests, and I needed to prove all of those people wrong. I was comfortable with ignoring their comments because I personally knew who I was and they didn’t. A few weeks before the episode debuted, our school had auditions for our annual talent show. I walked on the stage and sang a male version of “Defying Gravity” and eventually made the cut.

The day of the talent show, a week after the episode aired, we had two shows: one in the daytime for a paying audience of students, and another in the evening for parents, relatives, etc. I was going to perform at both shows, wearing my Wicked shirt and singing my heart out . . . at least, that’s  …