Editor’s Note: Some of the language in the first paragraph may be considered offensive.
Three large boys pulled a smaller boy into a dark corner of an Ohio high school. ‘You stupid fucking fag, you’re gonna get it ten times worse in hell.’ They began to beat him mercilessly and strategically, in places that would not be obvious to his friends and family.
The victim was left gasping for breath after punches to the ribs, kicks to the groin and knees to the spine. After one exceedingly hard punch, the victim’s ribs cracked and he was unable to catch his breath. He stood up in a complete panic and blacked out.
At this point, the victim could see the light at the end of the tunnel ‘- death was near. The attackers fled, and the victim was miraculously able to nurse himself back into stable condition.
The victim, Michael Cicirelli, is now a 21-year-old student at Fairfield. He is gay. He spent his time in high school a quiet recluse, scared silent by such uncountable beatings from intolerant, short-sighted classmates, he told a packed University Quick Center Thursday night.
Instead of running to the police or school officials, Cicirelli, like thousands of gays around the country, succumbed to a secret life, one of silence. Cicirelli said he was so scared of what his attackers would do to his family and friends that he told no one of his terrible experiences.
Cicirelli said he does not feel any anger or resentment towards his attackers. A practicing Buddhist, he believes in Karma. In this case, all of the anger and resentment shown by his attackers brought upon him will come back to them at some point.
Cicirelli was able to keep the mood light, even while discussing a somber situation. To start his talk, he said, ‘I’m a homo homo-sapien.’
Not unfamiliar with the argument and decrees that being gay is ‘against nature,’ to hearing suggestions that ‘we [the Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transgender community] all have AIDs,’ it is even more impressive that he has been so even-keeled in dealing with his past.
A common question asked by many audience members was why Cicirelli is able to remain so composed.
‘I have 400,000 years of information to learn and I have 100 years to do it,’ he said. ‘I have a husband to find and love and children to take care of.’
Many students were impressed with the event and Cicirelli’s triumphs.
‘It was a very moving event that encapsulated a lot of feelings and thoughts that aren’t usually addressed acceptance is the beginning to an end of hatred,’ said Nick Bakalov ’11.
Ending hatred is something that Cicirelli has been working on since he started Project Halo last year. At Fairfield, Cicirelli met a core group of friends who have kept him going. They are what motivate him to wake up, go to class, and live life to the fullest.
‘I was very proud of Michael,’ said Lauren Zaremba ’08. I’ve seen him grow so much he was very graphic and matter of fact. You need that. You need the reality what he is doing is promoting an inclusive and accepting community.’
Cicirelli ended by addressing everyone in the audience, calling for ‘angels’ to aid him in his quest to eradicate the ‘cancer’ that is sweeping the world: Hate.
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