Yeah, times are better now...but I can see it still takes a way lot of courage. When I was in my teens, I was a bit noticeable, didn't deny it, but didn't acknowledge it. That made junior high and high school really tough. But I held my head high and kept going. In college I joined the Gay Liberation Front in San Diego. We were an accredited organization of the Associated Students at San Diego State University, but the administration said we needed to change our name to stay as an on-campus organization. We took a vote on it, didn't make the change and left. Later on, I became the 4th president of the now off campus organization. Imagine how thin the walls to that closet. Friends and family suspected, but only a few knew for sure. Then one of our members was harassed by the police department for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I got it into my head to lead a demonstration against the San Diego Police Department. We made signs in my apartment the night before, and met up downtown the next day. Remember, this was in 1971, and while it was not against the law to be gay, it was still a felony to engage in gay sex (if you were caught). But there I was carrying a sign and picketing the cops while they in turn had film cameras turned on us. Then the news team from Channel 8 showed up and I was pointed out to the interviewer as the guy in charge. I never even thought about ending up on TV when I started this, but that shows how naive I was. So that's how I came out to most of my friends: on television picketing against the police and being interviewed about it on the CBS affiliate... I didn't even have anything to say planned. So I said what was on my mind. Homosexual sex acts even between consenting adults were a felony, it was not supported as an alternative lifestyle, it had no political power, etc. etc. etc. But we held on to each other then, as you all do now. Stay tight, our struggles have not ended, but it has changed a great deal thanks to your courage, love and intelligence; and with sites like this one, we can help remind everyone that closets are for clothes, not people.
Today's LGBT community needs to remember how far things have come, that it wasn't too long ago that being openly gay was a life and death matter. However bad we think we have it now, we're just whining today compared to what the LGBT community had to go through just a few decades ago. We also need to honor our heroes, and I think we do a very poor job of it. It's people like you that have made it possible for me to even contemplate coming out openly. It's your efforts that have made it as safe as it is to be who we are. Coming out has been a hard process for me, but without your efforts it would have been IMPOSSIBLE for me not too long ago. You and others like you have given following generations hope. Thank you, and I mean that sincerely!! The LGBT community needs a Remembrance Day or a Memorial Day to honor those who fought for our rights and made inroads that we are benefitting from today. If such a day exists, I've never heard of it. And I'm going to do something about it...
Great story. It's amazing how much has changed since then for the LGBT community..its almost scary to think of what it used to be... And damn right. :eusa_clap
Wow. I cannot imagine going through that. My closet door would have been much thicker and padlocked shut by a million locks if I was facing that kind of discrimination. An awesome story. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for fighting. (Oh, and welcome to EC). (*hug*)
And I appreciate your support. But if you admire me for what I did, just think about how much I admire you all for continuing it and on such a personal level. And for EC for providing this forum and making the efforts we are now engaging in possible: making self discovery a participatory event. Brilliant Just Brilliant
Hi there and welcome to EC from Jim in Toronto! I'm glad you've joined us here on what might be the best web forum anywhere!
OK, I added a scanned picture of me being interviewed at that 1971 protest by channel 8 (KFMB San Diego) newscaster Harold Keen. I'm that geeky guy in front of the microphone trying to think up what to say (really poor quality, but it wasn't posed and I did not realize this picture was being taken). You can see the picket ongoing.
It's not so much a day as it is a statue and a tree, but in Dublin's city center (in a park across the street from Oscar Wilde's birthplace) there is a statue of Oscar Wilde and next to it is a tree that was planted in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
I grew up the '60's when things were extremely different than they are today. As a result of the stigma of being found "queer" forced me to marry a girl (3 different girls), because that was expected. In high school I wanted more than anything to suck the dicks of two of my closest friends, but I was afraid of rejection & them telling my other friends that I was a "queer". Later in life (about 10 years after high school) I was between marriages when my friend from high school showed up on my door step. We were driving around not really going anywhere when the talk turned to sex. My friend asked me if I remembered when we use to go out and jack off together. He then asked me if I ever sucked a guys dick or had anybody sucked mine & and I asked him the same. The answer was no on both counts from both of us. He then said " I'll suck you if you'll suck me" . This is what I had fantasized about for a long time, so I quickly said OK, but I said this time instead of doing the deed in a parked car we would go to one of our apartments. When we got to the apartment there was that awkward moment between us. We both had our doubts about the other. You know the feeling (if I do him then he backs out he might spread around town that I am a "queer" & I'm sure he felt the same apprehensions). We decided the only "safe" way was to begin sucking each other at the sane time (69). After quite some time he pulled away from my sucking mouth as he told me "if we keep this up I'm going to cum in your mouth & we are neither one (he thought) ready for that". Little did he know, that is exactly what I had wanted for so many years. Well I decided I was this close & I was not going to be cheated out of my (one & only?) chance. I pulled his ass cheeks to me & told him to let it fly. Gawd it was everything I had imagined & then some. I had tasted my cum before & loved it, but this was even better. Besides the wonderful taste of his cum it was great to feel him tense up & spurt his cum in my mouth. Then unbeknown to him I swallowed the whole big load. Now although it's been about 45-50 years since we were in school I want so desperately to suck off my other friend, but I have no idea to let him know what I want. Maybe some day before one of us dies I will get the nerve to proposition him, but until then I will go back to fantasizing about what I hope comes true someday. Sorry this post was so long, but just the thought of my two friends made me so very horny, that I got caried away.
Your story clearly demonstrates that HE was thinking about it. Which does not mean that he is necessarily gay. At about 14 or 15 I went to some relatives house for dinner. I met a cousin (2nd, 3rd?) for the first time. He asked if I masturbated and when I said yes he wanted to do it in an empty car. He was in the back seat and I was in the front. He seemed really shocked when I turned around to look. Later we went out walking and found an empty building and did some mutual explorations. Then pulled up our trousers and went back to the house. We went back to the empty building when we realized dinner wasn't ready and did it more and with fewer clothes and more intimacy. We both climaxed (he cleaned up with a handkerchief that he wouldn't share). I only saw him once more after that, and he was standoffish. I am convinced he was totally straight, was just horny and opportunistic. However, he remains one of my most intimate memories. You just never know about what people really want.
