Tell me more about sushi pizza please.

100% agree with this. Had someone tell me they were shocked when they found out I wasn't straight because I seemed so much more "masculine" than them. Not sure that makes a difference

Yes being gay is just one aspect of who I am. However, I find that it is important to be open about my sexuality. Discrimination, harassment and homophobia are best confronted by being visible. Also it is easier to be open than to listen to comments by narrow minded people about issues like monkey pox, aids, marriage equality, drag story time. GSAs, or weird religious views. Strangely enough the world has changed and if you let people know you are gay, the keep their bigoted mouths shut.

I was just talking about it with a gay friend. She feels the same way. I agree, too. I find it tiresome

👏👏👏👏 spot on 👍

Yup. But you can't say that! Everyone gets so offended by everything.

THIS!

This is exactly what I think

I'm a 46 year old gay woman who has been out for more than half of my life. I have lots of other important parts about my life too, but being gay is extremely important. It impacts every other facet of my life: job, friends, family, kids, hobbies, interests, etc. To say that it doesn't sort of reeks of privilege that not many lgtbq people have. Also, visibility is incredibly important, which is why I am always super out in all aspects of my life. If one kid seeing me live openly as a happy gay person positively impacts their life then it is worth it. We have seen generations of lgbtq people forced to live in the closet and live without positive role models. Imagine what these people could have been if they felt safe to be themselves.

On this note I would say the same the about "pride parades." Claiming it is a stand against the prejudice of gay people and then have people turning up looking like they misread the invite as "BDSM parade" is only helping cement the stand by intolerant people you are trying to combat.

So pretty conservative here in my personal life (not my beliefs). I am also over 50 and gay. "AIDS, it's killing all the right people." was a real thing years ago. That hatred has kind morphed into another current political movement. My life doesn't revolve around being gay. I am a Christian and a humanist too. But it's important to let people know who you are.

I agree. These are the same gay and other people who equate their sexuality and identity with being quirky. They're also the loud mouths and sjws. That's why I like to separate myself from the community. I should also change my username.

This is true, to be sure. Being a complex person is difficult. Being a one note person ("I'm a stud" "I'm a foxy lady" I'm a biker" "I'm a crazy cat person" "I'm into this or that") is much easier.

THIS!!!

I have always wondered why sexual preference was not a personal issue. It shouldn’t be used to define a person. When you look at it, it’s no one’s darn business what happens between consenting adults

I agree 100%! The only situation in which I need to know your sexual preference (or you need to know mine!) is if we are about to be intimate.

I personally used to like when men were early with mentioning that they were gay, I had an amazing gaydar in that I so often fell in love with gay men thinking they were straight. Now that I have a steady (bi) boyfriend I don't care.

I told my kids, when you start dating, I don't care if you want to date girls, guys or something in between, you don't have to announce it, just introduce us. That's all. And they can't be an AH. That time has been broken already for those who are following along.

While I get that, it's also really nice to be so open about it. I for one know that because I'm gay I'll never get the same childhood experiences as my straight sister, like being teased about boys by my mom. At school though, I get to be open about it, and make jokes, and exist. And I see it as a big part of my identity. So idk that's just my perspective. Also I don't like the implication in there that being gay is inherently sexual, because I'm Ace and it's still a big part of my identity, but not about who I like to f-ck, more about love (I'm also aro-spec, so I'm not just talking about romantic love either) . Straight people constantly talk about their partners, and no one bats an eye, but when gay people talk about things relating to being gay it's "their whole personality"

*Michael Scott THANK YOU gif*. I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week. I didn’t realise I was bi, possibly gay until I was 35, because all the queer folk I saw on tv, and most that I knew irl made it their entire personality and I just don’t identify with that. I do understand for some people it’s really important, but for me, it’s just who I love and sleep with. It’s just another preference like good sense of humour, or respects art. It’s not *who* I am at all. I’ve been called out for not having it in my social media bios, but I also don’t list my favourite foods or that my feet get cold, y’know? There’s only a certain amount of characters to use! I already have a disability and can’t work because of it, (which some people also got mad at me for not putting in my bio), so I feel very separate from most of the world/society already. I don’t need to add another category of ‘othering’ to that.

Heh heh... yeah. "Hi, pleased to meet you, I f**k women" :-D

While I completely understand this view, I also don't like it. I used to be one of those people who would talk about their sexuality all of the time. I'm not proud of it, if I'm being honest. However, that was mostly because I didn't know what to do. I was raised religious and when I realized I wasn't straight, I hated myself. For some people they make being part of the LGBTQ+ Community a big part of their personality because they don't like that part of themselves and want to be okay with it. Some just need to say it until they're actually okay with it, or because they hated that part of themselves for so long that they want to tell people as a sign that they're finally okay with a part of them that a lot of people deem "unnatural" or "not okay". So I understand both sides of this and I wish more people looked at both sides.

I think part of this is that, for centuries, you had to bury being gay. You. Could. Not. Let. Anyone. Know. And sexuality is part of people's personalities. And while it is not completely safe, even today, to be out & proud, it is a LOT safer than it was, just a decade, or so ago.

I’m stuck on the French sausage 😳. I’m a German sausage person myself🤣🤣👍🏼. Glad to see family values something people are working on. 🥰

This can be applied to any secondary "identity" characteristic. Gender/sexual orientation and of course Race. I've been beating this particular drum for awhile, but these things are literally (not f*cking figuratively) the LEAST interesting thing about you, because it says nothing about your character. It says nothing about who you are as a person. The annoying part of this, is that in people basing their entire personality around these things, it gives them the impression that anyone who criticizes, disagrees or simply plays a role in any outcome that they dislike, is discriminating against them. They act as if "who" they are, what they say, think and how they act isn't even something that should be considered. It's exhausting, and it's dangerous.

Agreed. Especially for those of us of a certain age who grew up having to hide our identities, the ability to be out and open is such a relief that it's no wonder some people might overdo it a little bit (depending on your point of view). I'm an introvert myself, but I'm all for folx being as flamboyantly queer as their heart desires.

Would have respected your opinion but then you said your favorite food is sushi pizza. WTH.

I didn't need to know about the sushi pizza. lmao

Can I ask, is it okay to automatically like someone just because they're gay? I'm straight but I just love how you guys are being your real selves.

Very accurate, astute thoughts and comments about the whole topic.... Except for the second to the last sentence. Unnecessarily crude. And ""gay" can include female...

People who have been oppressed (usually by white, straight people) and have finally had a taste of freedom, tend to identify with the very trait that kept them persecuted. I respect OP's stance, but I understand those who use qualifiers in their introductions. Give it time. Eventually humanity will even out to the point where we are recognized as one race: Earthlings.

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Your privilege is showing. Canada is pretty socially liberal, I believe, and being gay there isn't such a big deal, which is fantastic and as it should be. The people you encounter who are not Canucks, or perhaps are, might not be so lucky. The Pride movement isn't about boasting that one is gay or trans or whatever. It's about not being ashamed. A lot of folks live for the day they can escape their intolerant families/communities and shout to the world "I'm queer and I'm here, baby!" The "big on family values" line triggered my Spidey-sense and makes me think this might be a troll. That phrase is synonymous nowadays with homophobia. Hope I'm wrong.