Good Morning All -- I'm active in local issues, politics, etc. And so I'm also active on a very popular local online forum. On that forum I have 2 screen names -- one, which everyone knows is the real life me and I am identified, and another (since I am so well known), for more personal issues. Well, I came out under the more personal screen name the other day. I got many many "mazel tovs" and "so happy for you" -- it's sweet.... actually makes me want to do so under my name, too! My post is below... context, has to do with a thread I started about my alcoholic familiy/relationships (which my ex wife and ex GF were/are). Pete "When you're a co dependent, enabler, people pleaser - life revolves around the people in your life and doing everything to fix the alcoholic(s) and make things seem normal in the family. In that process there's a lot of self-denial - about your own needs, interests, wants, desires. None of that stuff matters - getting the alcoholic(s) and the family to be "ok" is the only priority. I was quite good at it I came to the realization that there was a lot of emptiness. That I was looking for approval maybe more than love. And that a lot of the things I did, to be such an uber co dependent, kept me from looking at what I really need to be happy. For me that included accepting that "I'm gay." As well as finding that there's a lot more in the depths of the closet that has been waiting to come out - changes in career, home, parenting. It's all good, finally. Not that I know the journey exactly - hey, pass the popcorn, I want to see how this all turns out, too (I'm not an alcoholic -- I'm a member of Al-anon, which is for family/friends of alcoholics/addicts)"