Celebrity hairstylist says his job ‘saved his life’ after going through conversion therapy and fearing he would ‘burn in hell for being gay’
London.Timothy, who now lives in Ealing, has finally found the freedom to be his true self, but it is clear that his adult life is a stark contrast to his former years.‘Growing up at church, I was told that God didn’t want me this way.
He didn’t want me to be gay, so I went to classes to try and be healed,’ he said.While Timothy wants to speak out about the ‘conversion therapy’ he experienced within the church – to help others also struggling with their sexuality – he has decided to withhold details of where his ordeal happened as well as the people involved.But he does confirm it happened ‘nowhere near’ his current home.Timothy recalls his schooldays as a ‘living hell’.After realising he was different from the other boys around him, Timothy, aged 13, decided to come out to a few close friends.But instead of receiving support, as Timothy expected, he was relentlessly bullied by his peers.‘I knew I was different from all the other kids, and I slowly realised I was gay,’ he said.‘I told some people at school when I was 13, and they told everyone, which made my life a living hell.‘I hated school.
I came out to one girl who told all the boys, and I received horrible bullying.’But Timothy found an escape at his Saturday job in a local salon, where he assisted staff in washing clients’ hair.He explained: ‘My school life was a disaster.
The salon was the only place I felt free, and I would count the days and hours until Saturday.‘Hairdressing was my saving grace, and it gave me a vision for the future.’Timothy grew up in a religious household, attending church up to five times a week, but explained that he was always at odds with many of the religious teachings he learnt.However, in 2004, aged 14, Timothy decided to come out to.
