Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
Hey, I (also a straight ally) got a shout-out for my cat-ears from Senator Schumer at the most recent NYC Pride parade!
blondish,
Wow. I'm sorry anything like that happened at a convention or anywhere else for that matter. You seem to have kept your resolve through all of it in an admirable way -- overall.
I'm also glad that you are finding places to be happy and be yourself. A lot of people here are nothing short of wonderful about encouraging others. Congratulations on your personal happiness, and wishes of more happiness to follow.
Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
Awh, I love you guys. I'm really glad there's a community where you trust us enough to be yourselves.
(Straight fem, here, but seriously Coldstream, you do not want to battle me for the fabulous crown. I own my own tiaras. I'm just sayin...)
Not fabulous and I know it. Whatever!
Terrible con story, Blondish. Bit of an indictment of the gamer community that you feel more comfortable being "out" IRL than in the gaming scene. Gamers can be pretty insular. This is the place!
Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
So, tell us about your sparkle ponies.
Coldstream wrote:Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
So, tell us about your sparkle ponies. ;-)
I liked sparkle ponies before they were cool.
::hipster::
Mixolyde wrote:Coldstream wrote:Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
So, tell us about your sparkle ponies. ;-)
I liked sparkle ponies before they were cool.
::hipster::
We need to get together and drink more, in honor of our relocated comrade, Paleocon.
Coldstream wrote:Mixolyde wrote:Coldstream wrote:Rubb Ed wrote:Welcome, Blondish! Trust me, as another openly gay member of the board, this is a great community to be yourself. And as tuffalobuffalo said, happy 30! This was my 40th b-day year, and 30 is a great starter for things to come.
Just so everyone is clear, though we have lots of gay people here and I'm straight (Ally), I'm still the most fabulous.
That's right, Quintin, you just keep on walking.
So, tell us about your sparkle ponies. ;-)
I liked sparkle ponies before they were cool.
::hipster::
We need to get together and drink more, in honor of our relocated comrade, Paleocon.
Would love to. Alas, I'm now a relocated comrade: I was transferred from DC down to FL about three weeks ago.
My mind is genuinely blown that you encountered such a group at Otakon. I just never expected to see such behavior coming out of that place.
It only takes one or two jerks. The important thing is for everyone else to make it clear that we won't tolerate such behavior — not confronting it can make it seem like the crowd doesn't think it's a problem.
I sure hope you continue to feel welcome here, Blondish. Your post made me sad and happy at the same time, and I don't really know how to respond because it sounds like you figured everything out. Happy 30! I just turned 30 this year, too.
Same, all around.
Blondish, if you ever want to hit a con that I'm at, you're welcome to roll with any crew I'm in.
Goodjers roll deep.
ccesarano wrote:My mind is genuinely blown that you encountered such a group at Otakon. I just never expected to see such behavior coming out of that place.
It only takes one or two jerks. The important thing is for everyone else to make it clear that we won't tolerate such behavior — not confronting it can make it seem like the crowd doesn't think it's a problem.
Super true! Take note, non-confrontational types.
Thanks for all the support. It further validates my decision opening up to this group. Keep in mind this was in 2002 which was 11 years ago. This was also right after Bush had been elected along with a large number of state amendments banning gay marriage including my home state of Kansas passing their own defense of marriage act. Attitudes have changed so much since then and even more so since when I came out openly in my home town in 1998; the same year that Matthew Shephard was murdered in the hate crime in Wyoming.
So much in my life has taught me to be cautious but unafraid in how I live my daily life. I live within a 2 hour drive of the Westboro Baptist Church who is famous for holding up the signs, "God Hates Fags" but love the state I live in. I know so many people here that are open and excepting and they out number that vocal minority that is filled with bigotry and hatred. I have experienced that being myself and letting my sexuality be at best a secondary trait of what defines me is the best way to protect myself and change the opinions of those around me. I personally look forward to a day when my sexuality is a mundane issue and we all wonder why this was anything to worry about.
I hope to go to another convention in the next year or so. I'd love to go to GenCon with a co-worker. It seems like it has a festival kind of atmosphere and get to meet some GWJ members as well. I'm always envious when the podcast group has their episode at the Con and they talk about all the wonderful experiences.
Thanks for all the support. It further validates my decision opening up to this group. Keep in mind this was in 2002 which was 11 years ago. This was also right after Bush had been elected along with a large number of state amendments banning gay marriage including my home state of Kansas passing their own defense of marriage act. Attitudes have changed so much since then and even more so since when I came out openly in my home town in 1998; the same year that Matthew Shephard was murdered in the hate crime in Wyoming.
So much in my life has taught me to be cautious but unafraid in how I live my daily life. I live within a 2 hour drive of the Westboro Baptist Church who is famous for holding up the signs, "God Hates Fags" but love the state I live in. I know so many people here that are open and excepting and they out number that vocal minority that is filled with bigotry and hatred. I have experienced that being myself and letting my sexuality be at best a secondary trait of what defines me is the best way to protect myself and change the opinions of those around me. I personally look forward to a day when my sexuality is a mundane issue and we all wonder why this was anything to worry about.
I hope to go to another convention in the next year or so. I'd love to go to GenCon with a co-worker. It seems like it has a festival kind of atmosphere and get to meet some GWJ members as well. I'm always envious when the podcast group has their episode at the Con and they talk about all the wonderful experiences.
They do some cons over in Overland Park (where I work). If you ever head over that way I will buy you a beer:)
This was also right after Bush had been elected
I don't know if this is healing or deteriorating, but I first interpreted that as the band fronted by Gavin Rossdale getting elected to something.
Blondish83 wrote:This was also right after Bush had been elected
I don't know if this is healing or deteriorating, but I first interpreted that as the band fronted by Gavin Rossdale getting elected to something.
Vote for Bush! Better than the rest!
Blondish83 wrote:This was also right after Bush had been elected
I don't know if this is healing or deteriorating, but I first interpreted that as the band fronted by Gavin Rossdale getting elected to something.
This made me laugh and disturb people near my desk at work. Thanks to you sir.
On a side note I've been told I perform an acceptable version of Glycerine at Karaoke. I freaking love the cello in that song and I let the natural scratch in my singing voice go crazy.
wordsmythe wrote:Blondish83 wrote:This was also right after Bush had been elected
I don't know if this is healing or deteriorating, but I first interpreted that as the band fronted by Gavin Rossdale getting elected to something.
This made me laugh and disturb people near my desk at work. Thanks to you sir.
On a side note I've been told I perform an acceptable version of Glycerine at Karaoke. I freaking love the cello in that song and I let the natural scratch in my singing voice go crazy.
Yeah, that's one of those songs that cuts right into me, cliched as it might be.
Thanks for all the support. It further validates my decision opening up to this group.
I have shared more with these Good(jer) people than I ever thought I could/would, and I have never ever been hurt or let down by any of them. There is so much love and respect on these forums, I sometimes forget I am on the Internet.
Thanks for giving us your trust, and congrats on the 30th too!
So Friday was my one year anniversary of having come out as trans in this thread.
Just wanted to thank everybody again for being completely and utterly awesome.
Woot! Happy anniversary!
Happy Anniversary, Hypatian! A very courageous thing you did. Kudos!
This is still one of my favorite threads on the internet.
Happy anniversary Hypatian, thank you for continuing to share your journey with us.
Yeah, what they all said. Happy anniversary!
*hugs* Good luck to you, NSMike. Family can be very very rough when you care for them and yet they don't understand.
And yeah, we should totally do lunch some time. Let me know when you're going to be in town, and I'm totally up for it. I'm still sad that I begged off that one time with the Dave and Busters meet-up thing. That was deep in the bad years, and I was just so terrified of knowing people. (Which is so weird to look back on.)
We forgive so much of our families. It's hard. They are our family.
Thank you, all of you, for sharing stories about your bravery and your struggles. Ultimately I have far simpler challenges but I can look here for inspiration on living a fuller life.
Hypatian, congratulations on all of the progress you're making. You've come a long way in the last year, and I hope all the best for you.
NSMike, your insight and resolve are inspiring. I do mean that sincerely. Hopefully you, too, have a lot of real happiness ahead of you.
Thanks for sharing that story NSMike. I came out young and having been out for half of my life (15 years) I can share that I have not stopped coming out. You only come out once for each person but there are hundreds and thousands of people in your life. I just came out to this gaming community 12 years after an assault I suffered at a convention for my suspected orientation that forced me to closet myself in all my gaming activities.
Even today I am being considered for a promotion and am not sure how to reveal my orientation to my new peers. I will likely follow my usual mention of my 'partner' when discussing weekend plans. I let them connect the dots and ask me. It saddens me that me and the love of my life have been together 7 years and I have to pretend he is a long term roommate for fear of workplace bias. We have been together longer than many I work with have been married (some with multiple marriages in the 7 years). However, I am always touched by the warmth and caring I get from nearly all I tell and after one of our legendary dinner parties any uncertainty is passed with regard to their support for me or my husband.
I dream of the day when I can discuss my weekend plans with my husband openly at work and abroad and its so mundane they talk about our room remodel instead his gender. We are getting there and I can't help but feel its happening one quiet 'outing' at a time.
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