Posted by James K on February 12, 2006, at 18:35:39
In reply to Just to put a face on the picture..., posted by deirdrehbrt on February 12, 2006, at 2:18:50
I'm leaving the main subject a little, but I wanted to say I was raised Southern Baptist in the suburbs. even though I was an extreme liberal politically and a punk rock kid. I had prejudices. When I moved into the city, I was able to see the difference first, during that sad time when I saw skelatal men walking around as they deteriorated, then when I worked in a major book chain with a liberal hiring practice. Then I met and knew gay,lesbian and even transgendered people, and I often was the last to figure it out, and was sometimes a minority. Now close friends have stood by me and supported me through this time in my life for no reason other than who I am even though the young me or my family would be "against" them. Same for my wife. Her background is much more conservative than mine, but once we were free and allowed to think for ourselves, we made the unconscious decision to take people as they came.
Since you told your story, I'll share mine. My wife is 30 years older than me. We are "in the closet" to our families after 13 years of obviousness. I wish when people cast aspersions on us, I could tell them "if we were opposite sex, would you have the same problem?". The first people who were honest enough to ask "Are ya'll partners or roommates were my gblt friends. And it was such a relief to tell the truth.
I hope none of this is somehow patronizing, I feel it is neccassary to step carefully when comparing one issue to the other. Mainly, though, you love who you love.
James
poster:James K
thread:607584
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060204/msgs/609030.html