The Gay-Straight Alliance at Citrus College invited a special speaker to tell his story of growing up gay and why he firmly believes he was fired for his sexual orientaton.

Mitch Stein, the former Charter Oak High School water polo coach, spoke before a small group of students, Wednesday, Nov. 2.

Stein spoke of the difficulties of growing up gay.

“When I was growing up, we didn’t have the exposure that you have now,” Stein told the students. “When we had questions, or needed answers there was nowhere to go.”

Stein said he found solace while on the water polo team at Charter Oak, because he truly felt he belonged.

When Stein explained that after he was fired in August of this year, he was prepared to walk away, but received a phone call that changed his mind.

He learned of an athlete on the team who is gay and had been going through a terrible time at school. The athlete, at one point, tried to commit suicide multiple times.

Stein spoke to the student and made a deal.

“I said if I stay and fight, you’ll go to school,” Stein explained.

The athlete agreed and remains on the team and continues to go to school.

“It’s not just about passing laws, it’s about changing the social climate,” Stein said. “This is what I promised that water polo player and this is what I’ll do.”

Stein emphasized the importance of establishing Gay-Straight Alliances on all campuses as a means of breaking down intolerance towards gays.

“By going to protests, by having him [Stein] speak here, it shows how much we care about his cause and the LGBT community,” said Sara Acevedo, president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Citrus.