Today is the birthday of someone I used to love. She loved me too, she said a lot, almost daily. Until I told her I was gay. After that, she stopped talking to me. Well, once she spoke to me, cryptically, with sad eyes, and then walked away.
That was in the late 1980s.
I wonder what it’s like for people who rejected their queer friends or family who came out to them so long ago? What is it like to be in the cultural shift of today when it’s almost considered normal to have LGBTQI included in the human species? To be considered worthy of respect and love?
It was only 2 or 3 people who dumped me, but they were my people then, so it mattered. They have not called or checked in with me since. I wonder if they have gay friends now? It was mostly just gay then and not the current LGBTQI parade. Have they updated their settings? Do they pretend they were always awakened?
I like the concept of awakened. I also like the word “woke.” I had to ask a younger, hip, aware person what it meant, exactly. She said it has to do with awareness, often around racism, particularly around Black people. I told some friends about this and they admitted to not really knowing what it meant. Stay curious. Just ask. People are happy to tell you. Discussions are good.
If you rejected a person decades ok because they were gay or otherwise not straight, cis identified, or anything else out of the box that was then quite small, don’t dwell on it. I’m not saying you need to feel bad about it, but maybe be extra nice to someone who needs you now.
Also, thank you to those who were kind and loving to me a long time ago, you helped save my life.
Sweet and well said