Seth Owen’s parents kicked him out because he is gay – the rest is a very happy story

Seth Owen. GoFundMe picture.

When Seth Owen’s ultra-religious parents discovered he was gay by snooping on his phone. “I was writing a paper one night and my dad decided to check my phone,” Owen told Jacksonville’s News 4. “He was searching for quite a few hours and found a photo that clearly showed that I was gay and questioned me for quite a few hours that night.”

Totally reliant on his parents for housing and support, he endured conversion therapy.

“But when Owen wasn’t ‘cured,’ his parents did the worst thing they could. They pitched him out of their home and cut off all contact and support.

“’Either go to church or you can move out,’ Owen said his parents told him. ‘I called a mentor. I said, I can’t do this. I went back in and asked, ‘Is there any way that we can compromise,’ and my dad said no.”

So he moved out, sleeping on friend’s couches, working almost full time to support himself and continued to be one of the top students at his school.

He was accepted to Georgetown University. But since the university financial aid department assumed parental support, the scholarship he was given wasn’t nearly enough to attend the Washington D.C. school.

And then something great happened. When she found out about Owen’s situation, Janet Martin, his biology teacher and mentor, started a GoFundMe account to raise funds that would allow him to attend the prestigious university.

She wrote, “Earlier this year (after a year of attempted conversion therapy), Seth’s parents gave him an ultimatum. He would either continue to attend the church that outwardly attacked him and his sexual orientation or he would need to leave home. For his own well-being and safety, Seth chose the later. He’s been living with friends and working to sustain himself since financially. His parents have refused to support him emotionally or financially because they deem his sexual orientation inconsistent with their religious beliefs. Throughout this all, Seth held his head high and continued to work almost full-time while finishing high school at the top of his class as the co-valedictorian.

“Seth was admitted to Georgetown University and received a financial aid package based on the premise of parental support. Seth appealed this decision with letters from mental health professionals, school personnel, mentors, and community organizations, but Georgetown University has refused to amend his financial aid package leaving Seth with $20,000 bill to cover his first year.”

Owen had a 4.16 GPA and was co-Valedictorian of his class.

The goal of $20,000 seemed insurmountable. But townspeople met the challenge. But they didn’t raise $20,000. They raised $135,000!

That was great enough, but there was more to some. Georgetown University, after learning details of his story, Georgetown decided to waive his tuition.

Owen said in a statement, “While the campaign has been ongoing, the professionals at the Office of Student Financial Services have continued to work with me to make my dream a reality. Due to their efforts and attention, they were able to adjust my aid package even further, my expected contribution is now $0. With these new adjustments, I will be able to attend Georgetown University this fall.”

Owen’s story turned out so much better than that of many LGBTQ youth thrown out by their parents, and he recognizes that. His statement continued, “At the moment, I am in process of exploring the establishment of a scholarship to help LGBTQ+ scholars who find themselves in the circumstance I was in earlier this year. I am looking forward to utilizing the resources of Georgetown to help with this effort.”

And in typical Owen fashion, he parted his statement with: “I will be seeking to pass on the kindness and generosity that I have been shown.”

Copyright The Gayly – August 4, 2018 @ 2 p.m. CDT.