The Vox Box

Fri., March 27, 2009

Telling the truth at gunpoint…

"I never thought I'd tell my Muslim parents that I'm gay. Then a terrifying encounter gave me no choice."

First published in Newsweek, this is the story of Shariq Mahbub and his upbringing in Karachi, Pakistan. Mahbub felt forced to take every oppotunity to hide his sexuality from his family.

"...All through college I dated women, willing myself to be 'normal'."

This is a very powerful story...I can't really summarize this.

What would you do in this situation? What are your thoughts on the extreme culture-difference represented here?

Posted March 27, 2009, 5:40 a.m.

In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.