Itch is a coming of age story, but it is so much more. My journey of both finding and accepting myself as a young, gay man was spiritually and emotionally difficult, but above all, it was lonely. Eventually, I came to realize that what I had been told my whole life about who I was and who I chose to love was wrong. I realized that I was in charge and I could make those decisions. I was inspired to tell my story when my homeland of Australia made it legal for everyone to marry whomever he or she loves. Itch was originally intended as a memoir to offer young people in the gay community a new perspective on life; an alternative to the current narrative. But in the writing, it became much more and I have seen my story resonate with anyone - regardless of sexual identity - who has struggled to embrace their own authentic self. It is my hope that my story continues to shines a light on the complexity of the LGBTQIA experience and the "itch" we all feel for more.
