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10-12-2012, 07:31 AM

Thanks to those who recognised it as International Coming Out Day. Being gay/queer/homo et al happens all over the globe, not just North America. I know, I know it's an american website. Anyhoo, my thanks again for thinking of those outside your own shores too.

[RAMBLE]As a person who has been un/fortunate enough to live a very alternative lifestyle for most my adult life I've been cocooned and protected from homophobia in it's institutional and insidious hidden forms, for the most part.

I happened to watch the episode of Glee last night where the football bully dude tried to hang himself after he was outed. It started me off thinking about being at school myself and the whispers/judgemental comments from the adults around me about two 'gay' (I struggle with that word) teachers at my primary and junior school (ages 5-11). I thought those teachers were just like every other adult but the adults around me seemed to believe they were different. It's only as an adult that I can imagine how it must have felt to be whispered about and judged.

At senior school (ages 11-16) I also recalled the sneering way kids would talk about 'queers and poofs'. One particular event sticks in my mind clearly. I was 12 and two girls were parading around the halls holding hands and kissing each other. Much laughter and disgust followed them as they fun out of being lezzer/lesbo/lezzo. I can recall how the me inside cowered and hid away because I knew, knew right at that point, that the 'difference' I'd always felt was because I like girls in the way they were making fun of...I knew I needed to hide it and protect myself. It took another 14yrs to officially come out having just turned 26 in January 1990

Some 20odd years later I see young people who do come out in their teens and can live a life that is true to who they are. I also see kids who still feel they can't come out. Homophobia in communities is still there. I'm lucky enough to live in a town where the gay population is large and is also an hour away from one of the big 'gay' cities.

For those who live in small, provincial places, gay fellowship is still hard to find and homophobia looms large.

Yesterday I thanked all those that have gone before us that have suffered, fought and kept on fighting just so people like us can continue to come out.[/RAMBLE]

So much has changed and there is so much change yet to come.

10-12-2012, 07:31 AM	#23
Daktari Guest Tournaments Won: 1 Posts: n/a My Photo Gallery	Thanks to those who recognised it as International Coming Out Day. Being gay/queer/homo et al happens all over the globe, not just North America. I know, I know it's an american website. Anyhoo, my thanks again for thinking of those outside your own shores too. [RAMBLE]As a person who has been un/fortunate enough to live a very alternative lifestyle for most my adult life I've been cocooned and protected from homophobia in it's institutional and insidious hidden forms, for the most part. I happened to watch the episode of Glee last night where the football bully dude tried to hang himself after he was outed. It started me off thinking about being at school myself and the whispers/judgemental comments from the adults around me about two 'gay' (I struggle with that word) teachers at my primary and junior school (ages 5-11). I thought those teachers were just like every other adult but the adults around me seemed to believe they were different. It's only as an adult that I can imagine how it must have felt to be whispered about and judged. At senior school (ages 11-16) I also recalled the sneering way kids would talk about 'queers and poofs'. One particular event sticks in my mind clearly. I was 12 and two girls were parading around the halls holding hands and kissing each other. Much laughter and disgust followed them as they fun out of being lezzer/lesbo/lezzo. I can recall how the me inside cowered and hid away because I knew, knew right at that point, that the 'difference' I'd always felt was because I like girls in the way they were making fun of...I knew I needed to hide it and protect myself. It took another 14yrs to officially come out having just turned 26 in January 1990 Some 20odd years later I see young people who do come out in their teens and can live a life that is true to who they are. I also see kids who still feel they can't come out. Homophobia in communities is still there. I'm lucky enough to live in a town where the gay population is large and is also an hour away from one of the big 'gay' cities. For those who live in small, provincial places, gay fellowship is still hard to find and homophobia looms large. Yesterday I thanked all those that have gone before us that have suffered, fought and kept on fighting just so people like us can continue to come out.[/RAMBLE] So much has changed and there is so much change yet to come.