Jake Giles

Coming Out Twice: Being a Gay Diabetic

I remember the first time I stopped sex because of diabetes. I was 20 years old living on campus in Chicago for a summer job — a long-time friend we’ll call Nick decided to drop by, leading to a hook up. Things were moving along nicely until my pancreas slammed on the brakes. The room became a tunnel. My limbs were weak and began to shake. I felt cold sweat cover my palms. Nick looked confused and concerned, because of course he did. Not many know what a low blood sugar episode looks like, even when over 1.2 million people grapple with type 1 diabetes in the United States.