The first time you were openly gay in public - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered people coming out

Psychedelic Bookmarks · 31st Jul 2008, 03:15 AM

Do you remember the first time you were openly gay in public? Have you ever done it?

I've only once been openly gay in public so that strangers around me might have realised. It was about a month ago when I went to Plymouth Pride fair with my LGBT youth group. I wasn't particularly gay looking, but we were in a group of about 8 gay peeps and we were all just messing around all the way there and back. Some of us were making loud jokes about our gayness and waving rainbow merchandise, so I guess it might have been pretty obvious. On the train back, I suddenly realised that all the other people in my compartment must realise I was gay because of the people I was with... it was a strange moment. Almost emotional.

How about you chicks?

jony8472 · 31st Jul 2008, 03:23 AM

First time I was openly gay?
I don't know if I've ever been openly gay? However, you will usually find me running madly around women's shoes or underwear grabbing things for my sister, and hitting her for making bad decisions=P

So that may be a slight give away but I've never done anything openly gay.

pirateninja · 31st Jul 2008, 03:26 AM

I've always been. Maybe not "gay-acting" but certainly very masculine. Even when I was in denial. All my friends and my mother had guessed wayyyy before I actually told them, simply because I acted very masculine and didn't like boys.

But as for actually being GAY.... hmmm... I do it all the time now. After I told my friends I started acting REALLY gay. Like talking aboot gay things in a loud voice in public or singing "I'm here! I'm queer!" Luckily they don't mind if we get weird stares

Although I act gayest when I'm with my LGBT youth group. When you're with a group of gay people the conversations can get very amusingly flamboyant

31st Jul 2008, 04:33 AM

Like so everyone around me would know? Atlanta Gay Pride of course, lol.

But situations where just people in my immediate area would know...making a speech about gay rights in government class, talking about gay topics with my lesbian co-worker in front of customers, and parties.

Kimi · 31st Jul 2008, 04:57 AM

I am not that obvious gay guy so it wasn't like I was acting straight or hiding.

Hmmmm...let's see...it must be when I was volunteering at Tokyo Pride Parade

It was kind of awkward really

Phixit · 31st Jul 2008, 04:58 AM

Well apart from the obvious like:
The way I dress
The way I act,
Gay clubs (where everyone is gay in public)

Mine would have to be when I was with my first boyfriend at the train station
(We lived in different ends of the county short 15 min ride)
When we first met we hugged and kissed each other on the cheek (to the discussed of some woman with a child I might add)…

That was 1 thing but when we’d finished our “day date” we were waiting for my train it finally came and we ended up full blown kissing right on the platform..
Everyone on the platform and on the train was looking, like it was some kind of show or something but we didn’t care!!

ahhh good times x

**Maddy** · 31st Jul 2008, 04:59 AM

Probably the Pride March early this year. You should have seen me. Rainbow scarf in my hair, rainbow necklace, rainbow ring, rainbow wristband, rainbow ribbons tied around my walking stick, rainbow bow hair clips (clipped onto my shirt because I had the scarf in my hair). It was awesome.

Trumpetplyer23 · 31st Jul 2008, 05:09 AM

A few times, actually.

The first was when I started wearing my rainbow wristband and belt to school.

Second, is whenever I talk about a crush I have, I say 'he' or 'she' depending on that person's gender.

Third, cracking jokes about my sexuality with my friends. We're a pretty loud group so just about everyone hears them.

And, I don't know if this counts as in public, but I set my orientation on myspace to bi and I have "Crazy Bitch" by Buckcherry as my profile song.

byeee · 31st Jul 2008, 06:09 AM

The time was probably Glamour Day at Uni this year- I was one of the two guys that actually went to the parade- the other one being one of the organizers (Amnesty International). Some people actually said I looked really... fabulous, glamorous afterwards. It was cool

)

rosiejuly3 · 31st Jul 2008, 07:30 AM

Lets see... First time I acted kinda gayish was when my now gf was crying at this skating rink and I was like holding her and we were holding hands and then the kiss.. Now that my whole school knows that I am bi I am always talking about who I like and just acting more like myself

partietraumatic · 31st Jul 2008, 08:18 AM

i guess the most obvious public times is when my bf and i are in the park. If its nice weather we just go and lie on the grass,and make out a bit lol. Actually we've never noticed any huge attention for it though,i guess we live in a pretty liberal city luckily

grapevine fires · 31st Jul 2008, 10:14 AM

I've kissed my ladyfriend on public transit. It was really weird, but kind of liberating.

Um.. I also, on my messenger bag, have a pin that makes it kind of obvious that I'm gay. I wear it to festivals, and hold hands with my ladyfriend while being there.

I also sometimes talk about [hot] girls loudly in public.

xballetxbeautyx · 31st Jul 2008, 11:20 AM

Right after I bought my gay pride shirt. I got it at Hot Topic and put it in my bag, and my (straight but supportive) friend bought a rainbow armband which she put on right away. So we were in Forever 21 and the dressing rooms were closed, but I really wanted to wear my shirt so I sort of slipped it on over my other shirt and then pulled the other one off. We were all walking around outside and these people walking by were like "Oh, it's the lesbians..." my heart was pounding so much but I was so excited!

And then there was dance, with the same gay pride shirt. Coming out to people in my level was bad enough, but I wore it to lunch (which all four levels eat together) and everybody saw it. I don't know if they were staring or it was just me...

I really want to wear it to my show tonight... I got in a debate about God and the origin of HIV the other day- it was veeeerry interesting. The poor Catholic girl... it was me (the Agnostics) and two Athiests against her. She didn't stand a chance.

**Lexington** · 31st Jul 2008, 11:27 AM

Hard to tell where the line is. I've worn gay pride jewelry in public. I've held hands with my boyfriends in public. I've talked about finding guys hot in public. I don't know specifically when the first "Lex is gay and everyone looking can see that" moment was.

Lex

InaRut · 31st Jul 2008, 12:29 PM

One time (although I'm not out) I was doing something called the, "Amazingly Walrus Patentend Gay Run." And this white trash hic in his big truck yelled out, "Fucking faggot."
And lesbian friends were like, "LOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOOOLOLOOL"

It was pretty funny cause anything me+gay= Hilarious to them.

I tell you can no one run with there chest forward and their arms flailing and not be called gay anymore?

31st Jul 2008, 02:05 PM

Hmm... well if there was a point where the line was drawn and a passer-by would say "no doubt at all - he's gay," then it would have to be only last week actually. I was dropping off the guy I'm currently seeing at the train station and we kissed goodbye (quite passionately haha).

It didn't hit me until I had already left that this was quite an important moment for me.

-Michael- · 31st Jul 2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firecausesburns

Probably the Pride March early this year. You should have seen me. Rainbow scarf in my hair, rainbow necklace, rainbow ring, rainbow wristband, rainbow ribbons tied around my walking stick, rainbow bow hair clips (clipped onto my shirt because I had the scarf in my hair). It was awesome.

I want a rainbow ring!!

They sound awesome.

I guess i was first openly gay in public when me and my friend were talking about it in the town centre and i saw people looking as i answered her questions casually but i got on with it.

What i really liked aswell is that we were just talking about 'gayness' in front of her younger sister as if it was nothing.

Like i always shelter he siblings from my things like smoking and sometimes drinking and when im talking about my sexuality.
But she was like, well shes going to get to know about it someday...

ccdd · 31st Jul 2008, 03:55 PM

Heck, I haven't really been gay in private yet!

I don't know if I could ever be brave enough for gay public displays of affection though.

bluestlight · 31st Jul 2008, 04:09 PM

i guess the most gay thing i've done in public was this girl i like kissed me right in the middle of a bar (just a nice kiss, no major pda) and then we held hands later on. later on i wondered who all saw us since it's a pretty small town and you tend to see people you know wherever you go. i'm sure people did see us, but i just didn't care since i just liked being around her so much.

wow the sounds kind of cheesy.

musicgirl112233 · 31st Jul 2008, 04:36 PM

I think the only time I have been openly gay in public was today when i wore a rainbow wristband, but I dont think that counts.

31st Jul 2008, 03:15 AM	#1
Psychedelic Bookmarks Helena Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Bisexual Out Status: Close family and quite a few friends Location: UK Age: 18 Posts: 2,195 Join Date: Oct 2007	The first time you were openly gay in public Do you remember the first time you were openly gay in public? Have you ever done it? I've only once been openly gay in public so that strangers around me might have realised. It was about a month ago when I went to Plymouth Pride fair with my LGBT youth group. I wasn't particularly gay looking, but we were in a group of about 8 gay peeps and we were all just messing around all the way there and back. Some of us were making loud jokes about our gayness and waving rainbow merchandise, so I guess it might have been pretty obvious. On the train back, I suddenly realised that all the other people in my compartment must realise I was gay because of the people I was with... it was a strange moment. Almost emotional. How about you chicks? __________________ "I refuse to recognize the terms hetero-, bi-, and homo-sexual. Everybody has exactly the same sexual needs. People are just sexual, the prefix is immaterial." (Morissey)

31st Jul 2008, 03:23 AM	#2
jony8472 Take care all=} Full Member Gender: Male Out Status: Most everyone knows =] Location: Bath, UK Age: 19 Posts: 201 Join Date: Jul 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public First time I was openly gay? I don't know if I've ever been openly gay? However, you will usually find me running madly around women's shoes or underwear grabbing things for my sister, and hitting her for making bad decisions=P So that may be a slight give away but I've never done anything openly gay. __________________ Take care all=} K thx Baizz!!

31st Jul 2008, 03:26 AM	#3
pirateninja EC's Sailor Uranus Full Member Gender: Biologically Female Orientation: Heterosexually Challenged Out Status: Most people Location: Bath, England Age: 21 Posts: 5,853 Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public I've always been. Maybe not "gay-acting" but certainly very masculine. Even when I was in denial. All my friends and my mother had guessed wayyyy before I actually told them, simply because I acted very masculine and didn't like boys. But as for actually being GAY.... hmmm... I do it all the time now. After I told my friends I started acting REALLY gay. Like talking aboot gay things in a loud voice in public or singing "I'm here! I'm queer!" Luckily they don't mind if we get weird stares Although I act gayest when I'm with my LGBT youth group. When you're with a group of gay people the conversations can get very amusingly flamboyant __________________ Holly the Pirateninja Ars Longa, Vita Brevis.

31st Jul 2008, 04:33 AM	#4
Perrygay Guest Posts: n/a	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Like so everyone around me would know? Atlanta Gay Pride of course, lol. But situations where just people in my immediate area would know...making a speech about gay rights in government class, talking about gay topics with my lesbian co-worker in front of customers, and parties.

31st Jul 2008, 04:57 AM	#5
Kimi EC's Biggest Horndog Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: A few people Location: Japan Age: 22 Posts: 3,017 Join Date: Feb 2007	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public I am not that obvious gay guy so it wasn't like I was acting straight or hiding. Hmmmm...let's see...it must be when I was volunteering at Tokyo Pride Parade It was kind of awkward really __________________ AMAZINGLY, I GET HOTTER WITH MY CLOTHES OFF

31st Jul 2008, 04:58 AM	#6
Phixit Member Regular Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Anyone who asks, Its just getting them to ask!! Posts: 24 Join Date: Jun 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Well apart from the obvious like: The way I dress The way I act, Gay clubs (where everyone is gay in public) Mine would have to be when I was with my first boyfriend at the train station (We lived in different ends of the county short 15 min ride) When we first met we hugged and kissed each other on the cheek (to the discussed of some woman with a child I might add)… That was 1 thing but when we’d finished our “day date” we were waiting for my train it finally came and we ended up full blown kissing right on the platform.. Everyone on the platform and on the train was looking, like it was some kind of show or something but we didn’t care!! ahhh good times x

31st Jul 2008, 04:59 AM	#7
Maddy Free Hugs EC Admin Gender: - Orientation: Into girls Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 21 Posts: 7,700 Join Date: Mar 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Probably the Pride March early this year. You should have seen me. Rainbow scarf in my hair, rainbow necklace, rainbow ring, rainbow wristband, rainbow ribbons tied around my walking stick, rainbow bow hair clips (clipped onto my shirt because I had the scarf in my hair). It was awesome. __________________ how strange it is to be anything at all [Victor] 2:09 pm: and then halloween happened and I was outside in a skirt.

31st Jul 2008, 06:09 AM	#9
byeee wanderer... Full Member Gender: Guy Orientation: totally G.A.Y. :) Out Status: practically everyone! Location: HB Age: 23 Posts: 167 Join Date: Mar 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public The time was probably Glamour Day at Uni this year- I was one of the two guys that actually went to the parade- the other one being one of the organizers (Amnesty International). Some people actually said I looked really... fabulous, glamorous afterwards. It was cool )

31st Jul 2008, 07:30 AM	#10
rosiejuly3 Can't she see I love her? Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Bisexual but leaning towards girls Out Status: Everyone but extended family Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 17 Posts: 203 Join Date: Jun 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Lets see... First time I acted kinda gayish was when my now gf was crying at this skating rink and I was like holding her and we were holding hands and then the kiss.. Now that my whole school knows that I am bi I am always talking about who I like and just acting more like myself __________________ The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision. ~Lynn Lavner

31st Jul 2008, 08:18 AM	#11
partietraumatic A gay heteropolitan? Full Member Gender: Male Out Status: Enough for now Location: Oxford and Birmingham, UK Age: 20 Posts: 1,300 Join Date: Jul 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public i guess the most obvious public times is when my bf and i are in the park. If its nice weather we just go and lie on the grass,and make out a bit lol. Actually we've never noticed any huge attention for it though,i guess we live in a pretty liberal city luckily

31st Jul 2008, 10:14 AM	#12
grapevine fires EC Addict Regular Member Gender: F*ed… my sex, though, is female. Orientation: love is love, sexuality is fluid Out Status: Pretty much everyone, minus extended family Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 20 Posts: 431 Join Date:** Jun 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public I've kissed my ladyfriend on public transit. It was really weird, but kind of liberating. Um.. I also, on my messenger bag, have a pin that makes it kind of obvious that I'm gay. I wear it to festivals, and hold hands with my ladyfriend while being there. I also sometimes talk about [hot] girls loudly in public.

31st Jul 2008, 11:20 AM	#13
xballetxbeautyx Heterodox Homosexual Full Member Gender: (.)(.) Orientation: Kinsey 5? Ish? Out Status: If you don't know, where have you been all my life Location: Midwest USA Age: 17 Posts: 1,719 Join Date: Mar 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Right after I bought my gay pride shirt. I got it at Hot Topic and put it in my bag, and my (straight but supportive) friend bought a rainbow armband which she put on right away. So we were in Forever 21 and the dressing rooms were closed, but I really wanted to wear my shirt so I sort of slipped it on over my other shirt and then pulled the other one off. We were all walking around outside and these people walking by were like "Oh, it's the lesbians..." my heart was pounding so much but I was so excited! And then there was dance, with the same gay pride shirt. Coming out to people in my level was bad enough, but I wore it to lunch (which all four levels eat together) and everybody saw it. I don't know if they were staring or it was just me... I really want to wear it to my show tonight... I got in a debate about God and the origin of HIV the other day- it was veeeerry interesting. The poor Catholic girl... it was me (the Agnostics) and two Athiests against her. She didn't stand a chance. __________________ I can't go to Pigfarts! IT'S ON MARS. You need a rocketship! Do you have a rocketship, Potter? Look at this - it's Rocketship Potter! Starkid Potter! Moonshoes Potter! Traversing the galaxy for intergalactic travels to Pigfarts!

31st Jul 2008, 11:27 AM	#14
Lexington The gay gargoyle EC Advisor Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Colorado Age: 42 Posts: 12,370 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Hard to tell where the line is. I've worn gay pride jewelry in public. I've held hands with my boyfriends in public. I've talked about finding guys hot in public. I don't know specifically when the first "Lex is gay and everyone looking can see that" moment was. Lex

31st Jul 2008, 12:29 PM	#15
InaRut EC's Nu-Disco Walrus Full Member Gender: IRL Yaoi Character Orientation: (｡◕‿◕。) Out Status: ㅎ_ㅎ Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Age: 22 Posts: 7,111 Join Date: Oct 2007	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public One time (although I'm not out) I was doing something called the, "Amazingly Walrus Patentend Gay Run." And this white trash hic in his big truck yelled out, "Fucking faggot." And lesbian friends were like, "LOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOOOLOLOOL" It was pretty funny cause anything me+gay= Hilarious to them. I tell you can no one run with there chest forward and their arms flailing and not be called gay anymore? __________________ "The first duty of every Starfleet Officer is to the truth. Whether it's scientific truth, historical truth, or personal truth. It is the guiding principle to which Starfleet is based. If you can't find it within yourself, to tell the truth about what happened, then you don't deserve to where that uniform."

31st Jul 2008, 02:05 PM	#16
eclipse Guest Posts: n/a	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Hmm... well if there was a point where the line was drawn and a passer-by would say "no doubt at all - he's gay," then it would have to be only last week actually. I was dropping off the guy I'm currently seeing at the train station and we kissed goodbye (quite passionately haha). It didn't hit me until I had already left that this was quite an important moment for me.

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31st Jul 2008, 03:55 PM	#18
ccdd Procrastination Queen Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Bisexual Out Status: 30(ish) friends, but mostly closeted. Out to mum Location: UK Posts: 1,009 Join Date: Nov 2007	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public Heck, I haven't really been gay in private yet! I don't know if I could ever be brave enough for gay public displays of affection though.

31st Jul 2008, 04:09 PM	#19
bluestlight Member Regular Member Gender: Female Orientation: Lesbian Out Status: Some people Location: London Age: 26 Posts: 85 Join Date: Jul 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public i guess the most gay thing i've done in public was this girl i like kissed me right in the middle of a bar (just a nice kiss, no major pda) and then we held hands later on. later on i wondered who all saw us since it's a pretty small town and you tend to see people you know wherever you go. i'm sure people did see us, but i just didn't care since i just liked being around her so much. wow the sounds kind of cheesy. __________________ "I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different" - Kurt Vonnegut

31st Jul 2008, 04:36 PM	#20
musicgirl112233 Soy Un Perdedor Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Lesbian Out Status: Some people Location: South Carolina Age: 17 Posts: 939 Join Date: Apr 2008	Re: The first time you were openly gay in public I think the only time I have been openly gay in public was today when i wore a rainbow wristband, but I dont think that counts. __________________ " Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." -A Midsummer Night's Dream Our differences provide opportunties for greater understanding.