The former president Barack Obama’s open and reflective ideas about his own sexuality and identity have been revealed through an uncovered letter from 1982. The letter, which was written to an ex-girlfriend, has recently come to light. It shows reflections from a young Obama on the androgynous character of his thoughts and the ramblings of his imagination.

In the letter, which he wrote while he was 21 years old and a student at Occidental College, Obama discussed his views on mental flexibility and homosexuality. “With regard to homosexuality, I have to say that I think it’s an attempt to escape the here and now, maybe an unwillingness to continue the never-ending farce that is earthly life. As you can see, I have everyday fantasies about making out with males,” Obama wrote in a November 1982 letter.

“My mind is androgynous to a great extent and I hope to make it more so until I can think in terms of people, not women as opposed to men,” he continued, reflecting on the complexity of his own identity. However, upon resuming my physical form, I recognize that I have become a man, and I have chosen to embrace this outcome.”

Historian David Garrow received and transcribed the letter, which was addressed to Obama’s ex-girlfriend Alex McNear, whom he dated while attending Occidental College, for his book “Rising Star.” Harvey Klehr, a friend of Garrow’s, hand-translated the previously deleted passages of the letter, exposing the private and reflective side of the youthful Obama.

The letter’s current owner, Emory University, forbids its removal or taking of photos of it. Still, the deleted text has surfaced, providing a window into Obama’s mind at a critical moment in his life.

Obama has been married to Michelle Obama since 1992. He would go on to become the 44th President of the United States and a father of two children. In response to the letter’s emergence, Garrow emphasized that a young person’s reflections are frequently nuanced and indicative of human nature. Obama’s nostalgic thoughts are fascinating, but they also offer a window into the larger discussion about sexuality, identity, and the process of self-discovery.