The 22-year-old is gay and was terrified to come out when he was a private Christian school student.
Years on, Mr Hatfield established The New Norm, an awareness campaign for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex (LGBTQI) community, helping prevent other students feeling the way he did.
The Kingsley resident said at school being gay was a lifestyle ‘strongly frowned upon’, which caused him to doubt himself while feeling confused and marginalised.
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READ NOWMr Hatfield said coming out was the hardest thing he ever did.
‘The lies of living a homosexual lifestyle developed over my years in high school and I was terrified for the reaction of my friends and family.
‘Once finishing high school and dropping these erroneous attitudes, I felt free to express myself and developed an ‘If you don’t like it, then that’s too bad’ sort of attitude.
‘I then knew that I was happy the way I was, regardless of other’s opinions.’
Mr Hatfield said he started The New Norm because he didn’t want any other student suffering from the isolating period of feeling as though they were not good enough because of their sexual preference or gender identity.
Headspace Osborne Park manager David Wray said in the past, social norms had made defining sexuality and gender a very difficult transition for young people.
‘Thankfully, attitudes and beliefs are changing but it can still be a struggle for young people,’ he said.
Mr Wray said that with growing awareness and acceptance, more young people were at last stepping forward in relation to equality.
‘All services need to be aware of sexuality and gender identity as a part of growing up, and to be encouraging and open to helping young people,’ he said.
‘We need to keep working collaboratively for change.’
To get involved in The New Norm, go to thenewnorm.org/.