Ep 17. I'm Trying To Be Straight

In the thirteenth season of the popular MTV documentary series True Life, episode 17, titled "I'm Trying To Be Straight," follows the lives of three individuals who identify as gay but are attempting to lead a heterosexual lifestyle.

The first individual, Dave, is a 25-year-old man who has been openly gay since he was 15. He has recently started dating a woman named Rachel and is hoping to build a long-term relationship with her. Dave has struggled with his sexual identity for years and believes that if he can make it work with Rachel, he can finally be accepted by his family and society as a whole.

The second person featured in the episode is Jordan, a 21-year-old college student who is also trying to be straight. Jordan comes from a strict religious family that disapproves of homosexuality, and he has always felt pressure to conform to their expectations. He has recently started dating a woman named Emily, who he hopes to marry someday. However, Jordan is torn between his desire to please his family and his own feelings of same-sex attraction.

The third and final individual is Leslie, a 28-year-old woman who has been in a committed same-sex relationship for over five years. However, Leslie has recently become interested in men and is exploring her attraction to the opposite sex. She is worried about how her partner will react and is unsure of how to navigate this new territory.

Throughout the episode, viewers get an inside look at the challenges that these individuals face as they try to live a "straight" life. They struggle with feelings of guilt and shame, as well as the fear of rejection from both the LGBTQ+ community and society at large. They also grapple with the complicated and often messy dynamics of dating and relationships, as they try to find a partner that they can connect with both emotionally and physically.

Through candid interviews and emotional scenes, "I'm Trying To Be Straight" sheds light on the complexities of sexual identity and the pressure to conform to societal norms. It offers a compassionate and non-judgmental look at the struggle to navigate sexual attraction and relationships, and the emotional toll that it can take on individuals. Ultimately, the episode serves as a reminder that everyone deserves to live authentically and be accepted for who they are, regardless of their sexual orientation.