At the UA, love comes in many different forms.
Joseph Agosttini, a neuroscience and psychology sophomore, started to notice Trevor Ledbetter, an ecology and evolutionary biology and environmental science sophomore, but never made a move until he found out that Ledbetter was a preceptor for his biology 181 class.
“The teacher created a Facebook group for the preceptors and the students to ask any questions … and I saw his picture, so I clicked on his profile. I kinda stalked him for a bit,” Agosttini said.
After much deliberation, Agosttini finally found the courage to send the friend request. Ledbetter accepted the next day. However, there was a hitch in his success when Ledbetter messaged him asking how they knew each other.
“I panicked, and I didn’t know what to say, so I lied,” Agosttini said.
Luckily for him, Ledbetter went along with the story, and the two continued talking until Agosttini asked him out to dinner.
“On our first date, we went to Frog & Firkin, and then we walked to Cold Stone, and we just started talking in front of Yavapai [Residence Hall] for three hours,” Agosttini remembered.
At the end of the night, the two shared a goodnight kiss, prompting a second date and reassuring the couple that things were going in the right direction.
Ledbetter said, “It let me know that I didn’t mess up.”
The two became an official couple after their second date to see “Insidious Chapter 2,” and have been happy together since. On Feb. 20, Ledbetter and Agosttini will have been dating for five months.
“I was really kind of lonely before I met him. I had just a couple of friends, and he’s really helped me break me out of my shell,” Agosttini said. “He’s really been my role model and guardian angel.
Every day, he’s there for me whenever I need him.”
Of course, the couple has had some bumps in the road, such as being punctual versus being fashionably late, and the two have had a very different cultural upbringing. Agosttini grew up in Nogales in a Hispanic community. Ledbetter is from Kansas, which is a lot different than growing up along the Mexican border, he said.
Ledbetter and Agosttini both recently came out to their families, but said their sexuality does not define or influence their relationship.
“We’re just as weird as everyone else,” Ledbetter said. “Every couple has their own thing, and we do too. I definitely wouldn’t consider us different than any other couple.”
Agosttini has been working with Blue Chip, the leadership and community service program, to promote awareness of lesbian and gay art. He and other members hope to have The Loft, the local theater, host a day of LGBTQ movies, and bring a gay men’s choir and more gay artwork to Tucson Meet Yourself.
Agosttini said he hopes to continue breaking boundaries, and encourages those who are not so sure of their sexuality to remain strong.
“If there’s anyone struggling with their sexual orientation, and think that they may be part of the LGTBQ community, it does get better, and it’ll be OK,” Agosttini said. “We’ve survived. Haters are gonna hate. … What else are they going to do?”
Though some people may not agree with homosexuality or gay marriage, Ledbetter said that it’s more important to remain true to you.
“It’s a huge relief when you can be yourself without worrying about what might come out or what you have to hide. It’s a lot nicer to be able to be yourself,” Ledbetter said.
