As I write this message, it is 4:45 p.m. on Monday the 13th—but since I’m in Las Vegas, that’s 4:45 Pacific Time. So it’s really 7:45 Eastern Time, and you are all fifteen minutes into your SGM meeting, a meeting that I was forced to miss due to last night’s red-eye flight having been canceled. How frustrating. But, as Joe Murphy e-mailed me earlier this afternoon, I suppose I could be stranded in worse places.
For someone who describes himself as “semi-retired,” I have certainly been taking a lot of business trips lately. My latest venture is real-estate investing, so I find myself flying hither and yon to attend various seminars. This past weekend’s seminar in Vegas was quite intense. And quite wonderful, but for reasons having nothing to do with real estate.
Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of meeting some amazing people. And the more such people I meet, the more hope I have for the GLBT community. Never again wishing to expend energy on closeting myself, I make sure that just about everyone I come in contact with knows I’m gay . . . and most are completely OK with it. I’m not in-your-face about it; I just refuse to hide myself. Even the religious fundamentalists I meet are usually as accepting as they can be. (That “hate the sin, love the sinner” nonsense may be the best they can muster, but God bless ’em, anyway.)
On further reflection, perhaps it’s not society as a whole that has changed, so much as it is change in my own self. I have found that the more “out” I am, the more accepting I find others to be. Yes, I’ve had my share of disappointing reactions to The News, but the overwhelming majority has been extremely positive.
So, my message to everyone for this month is to take baby steps towards being more “out” in society, and “out” to one’s self. Is there someone you’ve been meaning to tell about your sexuality? Maybe now is the time. Statistics show that straight people who say they know someone close who is gay are much more likely to be accepting of GLBT issues than those who claim not to know anyone gay.
Yes, it can be scary. But sometimes, the only way through a fear is to face it head on. Know that you have an extended family of loving men who support you.
Until next month, be out, be proud, and work towards wholeness.
Carl