My Journey Out

If you were like me, you’ve been doing your little job, home in the suburbs, washing your car, mowing the grass, taking the kids to soccer and bar-be-queing on the deck with other married couples. Life in our little world has been good. Some of us may have even had the token ‘gay’ acquaintance, the stereotypical interior decorator, the ‘camp’ hair stylist or perhaps just “Joe” who has never married with hushed discussions about whether he’s one of them or not. The reality the ‘gay world’ was in another solar system. My images of the gay world were guys wearing leather, nothing at all or so girlie I could just scream.

And now here you are, you big fruit. How you like it so far?

While my rule is never to give individual advice, I’ll give you a general hint. Let me start with an incendiary comment, sure to ruffle the boa feathers of even the more heartless queer. I have never in my life met a group of more seriously f*cked up people than what I’ve seen in the gay community.  The sexual deviants, the emotionally disturbed and just plain old crazy people. Even the folks I thought were semi-normal often had some wacko factor and this is coming from someone (me) who definitely is borderline wacko.

The problem you must understand is that each gay guy has been through their own “Journey Out” and in fact are likely still on the Journey faced with the stark reality that we/us/them may never in fact make it “Out”. This journey it seems is a lifetime in nature. There are guys who are closeted, out to a few, or way f*cking out. Along the way they had to deal with parents, friends, associates, people on the street and in many cases  each person got a slightly different story. Confronting your sexuality is extremely hard and it takes a huge emotional toll.

Some gay guys are quick flaky, like grand ma’s apple pie, others developed a hardened attitude. The reality each guy has had to come up with their own way of dealing with all this and their own individualistic defense system to combat issues or circumstances they don’t want to deal with. The ‘net is insecurity is a epidemic in the gay community.

Now my assessment isn’t totally fair. In fact, now that my eyes are opened, I’ve noted that straight people seem just a tad screwed up themselves. I’d just never really paid much attention to it until now. Couples who are ‘swingers’ , guys who are going to strip clubs, seeing prostitutes, men with deviant sexual appetites. It was all right there in plain sight. Plenty of wack jobs on every corner.

So no, I don’t mean to bash the gay community. With time, I have found some very nice people.  I just want you to be prepared. You are entering this zone not likely in the best emotional shape and perhaps hoping to find the Gay Welcome Wagon ready to greet and comfort you. It won’t.

You will also likely be looking to make new friends and love interests and in this quest you’re gonna (100% certainty) encounter some gay guy whose mission it would seem would be to make you feel bad or play Jedi mind tricks with you. Don’t. Realize it’s not you, but them and you can’t fix their issues, so let it roll off you, water on a duck.

Early on I got my feelings terribly hurt by gay guys with their random comments and signals to me. I’m not jaded (yet) and thankfully I have a big sense of humor so I’ve managed to find it funny now when the ‘gay games’ begin. I don’t enter the sport anymore, but happy to be a spectator.

The good news, the gay community is quite diverse and with a little time and scratching about you will find some part of the community where you’re comfortable. And if not, you can create your own community with the Homeowner’s Association rules you wanna live by. It’s all your choice and decision.