Five year anniversary of joining EC! - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people coming out

**Owen** · 20th Jul 2012, 10:03 AM

Well goodness me, these things sure have a way of sneaking up on you. But it finally happened; today marks the five year anniversary of the day I joined EC.

And man, what a five years they've been! I still remember when I got a PM about how they were imposing a 10-post minimum to get into the chatroom. The times certainly change, don't they? I remember the homey feel the site had when I joined; I was only about the 1,200th to do so (these days, members who join get numbers over 18,000), and you know that not all of those 1,200 who came before me stuck around, so it really was like one big family. I think it was that homey feeling that made me join even though I wasn't looking for support on how to come out.

We've certainly grown plenty as a community since then. Not that that's a bad thing at all! We're bigger because of all of you wonderful folks who are here today, and I think our size makes us better able to handle the wide array of problems our members bring to the table, what with the fact that we now have more collective experience to draw upon. Truly, you wonderful folks (well, most of you are wonderful, anyway

I kid, I kid) are what makes this community so great, and I'm glad I've been able to share these five wonderful years with you.

I've seen this community help so many people in those five years. So many confused people who have figured out who they are, so many scared people who have come out to those in their life, and so many people who stuck around to help others through the same struggles. It's something I'm truly proud to be a part of, something that is really unique on the internet.

So here's to the five years I've been a part of this, and, who knows, maybe even five more!

Night Rain · 20th Jul 2012, 10:57 AM

Thank you for your contributions to our community.

Here's to your anniversary!

timo · 20th Jul 2012, 11:49 AM

Three cheers for five years

malachite · 20th Jul 2012, 12:51 PM

woot woot

**Chip** · 20th Jul 2012, 12:55 PM

Wow, Owen! 5 years is an eternity in EC time

And what's this "maybe" 5 more years? We'll come after you if you try to leave, you know that, right?

**Owen** · 20th Jul 2012, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chip

And what's this "maybe" 5 more years? We'll come after you if you try to leave, you know that, right?

Good to know. Luckily for you and me, I'm not planning on going anywhere any time soon.

Fugs · 20th Jul 2012, 02:03 PM

Congrats Owen <3

**thecat06** · 20th Jul 2012, 02:12 PM

Congrats!!

SunSparks · 20th Jul 2012, 02:29 PM

Wow. Just wow. Congratulations - I made this to show you how much I really mean it.

Sorry if any information is wrong...

**Owen** · 20th Jul 2012, 02:37 PM

Oh wow, that's so cool! Thanks! I just hope I'm still okay with this custom user title (and this avatar, too, come to think of it) if I should see that gif again far down the line.

20th Jul 2012, 02:41 PM

Congratulations Owen! *Cheers!!* ^_^

Aeon Magus · 20th Jul 2012, 03:36 PM

Congratulations, Owen.

Black Cat · 20th Jul 2012, 03:41 PM

Congratulations to you!!

Happy fifth EC-Versary Owen!!

And here's to five(+) more years of EC'ing in your future. Thanks for all the contributions you've made over the years.

IrisM · 20th Jul 2012, 03:50 PM

You are a wonderful person and this community is greatly enriched for having you here. Congratulations on your five years at EC.

alex2020 · 21st Jul 2012, 12:39 PM

Congrats Owen!

Theory · 21st Jul 2012, 04:04 PM

Congrats Owen!

awesomeyodais · 21st Jul 2012, 04:52 PM

Congrats and thank you

Jonathan · 21st Jul 2012, 05:48 PM

Congrats Owen!!! A few more months and it'll be five years for me as well

Here's to another five years!

20th Jul 2012, 10:03 AM	#1
Owen (ʘ‿ʘ)ノ✿ "Hold my flower" EC Admin Gender: Agender, male-assigned at birth Orientation: Panromantic (love all) androsexual (lust for men) Out Status: Sexuality: entirely out. Gender: Facebook friends. Location: Massachusetts, USA Age: 22 Posts: 4,623 Join Date: Jul 2007	Five year anniversary of joining EC! Well goodness me, these things sure have a way of sneaking up on you. But it finally happened; today marks the five year anniversary of the day I joined EC. And man, what a five years they've been! I still remember when I got a PM about how they were imposing a 10-post minimum to get into the chatroom. The times certainly change, don't they? I remember the homey feel the site had when I joined; I was only about the 1,200th to do so (these days, members who join get numbers over 18,000), and you know that not all of those 1,200 who came before me stuck around, so it really was like one big family. I think it was that homey feeling that made me join even though I wasn't looking for support on how to come out. We've certainly grown plenty as a community since then. Not that that's a bad thing at all! We're bigger because of all of you wonderful folks who are here today, and I think our size makes us better able to handle the wide array of problems our members bring to the table, what with the fact that we now have more collective experience to draw upon. Truly, you wonderful folks (well, most of you are wonderful, anyway I kid, I kid) are what makes this community so great, and I'm glad I've been able to share these five wonderful years with you. I've seen this community help so many people in those five years. So many confused people who have figured out who they are, so many scared people who have come out to those in their life, and so many people who stuck around to help others through the same struggles. It's something I'm truly proud to be a part of, something that is really unique on the internet. So here's to the five years I've been a part of this, and, who knows, maybe even five more! __________________ ♫ I’m not a self-help book; I’m just a fucked up kid. I had to take my own advice and I did. Now I’m waiting for it to sink in. Expect me standing tall, back against the wall, 'cause what I learned was: It’s not about forcing happiness; it’s about not letting the sadness win. ♫ -The Wonder Years, "Local Man Ruins Everything"

20th Jul 2012, 10:57 AM	#2
Night Rain I'M CRAZY!! Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Some Location: I'm Asian. Age: 21 Posts: 1,150 Join Date: Jun 2012 Tournaments Won: 1	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Thank you for your contributions to our community. Here's to your anniversary!

20th Jul 2012, 11:49 AM	#3
timo full of fire Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Most friends know Location: The Netherlands Age: 23 Posts: 1,269 Join Date: Mar 2012 Tournaments Won: 4	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Three cheers for five years

20th Jul 2012, 12:51 PM	#4
malachite EC's realist Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Orlando Posts: 7,159 Join Date: Apr 2009	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! woot woot __________________ 4 out 5 divorcees agree that marriage is a sacred union.

20th Jul 2012, 12:55 PM	#5
Chip EC Advisor EC Admin Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: northern CA Posts: 8,637 Join Date: May 2008	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Wow, Owen! 5 years is an eternity in EC time And what's this "maybe" 5 more years? We'll come after you if you try to leave, you know that, right?

20th Jul 2012, 02:03 PM	#7
Fugs Girl Fox Full Member Gender: Vixen Orientation: Love all the people! Out Status: Everyone knows I'm trans :) Location: Bowling Green, OH Age: 19 Posts: 1,031 Join Date: Sep 2011	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congrats Owen <3 __________________ I have only abandoned my body, I still live here.

20th Jul 2012, 02:12 PM	#8
thecat06 Let the journey of life continue! EC Moderator Gender: Let's say Pangender! Orientation: Let's say gay!! (Homoromantic Demisexual) Out Status: Out as pan to most, out as gay completely Location: Central and Northern Ohio Age: 20 Posts: 7,071 Join Date: Jun 2011 Tournaments Won: 9	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congrats!! __________________ The tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible. -Anderson Cooper

20th Jul 2012, 02:29 PM	#9
SunSparks The Naive One Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Open to all at Uni Location: upstate New York (For University) Age: 18 Posts: 1,176 Join Date: Jul 2012	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Wow. Just wow. Congratulations - I made this to show you how much I really mean it. Sorry if any information is wrong... __________________ If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm. ~Frank Lane

20th Jul 2012, 02:37 PM	#10
Owen (ʘ‿ʘ)ノ✿ "Hold my flower" EC Admin Gender: Agender, male-assigned at birth Orientation: Panromantic (love all) androsexual (lust for men) Out Status: Sexuality: entirely out. Gender: Facebook friends. Location: Massachusetts, USA Age: 22 Posts: 4,623 Join Date: Jul 2007	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Oh wow, that's so cool! Thanks! I just hope I'm still okay with this custom user title (and this avatar, too, come to think of it) if I should see that gif again far down the line. __________________ ♫ I’m not a self-help book; I’m just a fucked up kid. I had to take my own advice and I did. Now I’m waiting for it to sink in. Expect me standing tall, back against the wall, 'cause what I learned was: It’s not about forcing happiness; it’s about not letting the sadness win. ♫ -The Wonder Years, "Local Man Ruins Everything"

20th Jul 2012, 02:41 PM	#11
frozenandbroken Guest Posts: n/a Tournaments Won: 15	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congratulations Owen! Cheers!! ^_^

20th Jul 2012, 03:36 PM	#12
Aeon Magus EC's Blue Gaylien Full Member Gender: I go peepee standing up xD Orientation: I'm a Man's Man Out Status: The people that I care about most. Location: Western Cape, SA Age: 27 Posts: 2,919 Join Date: Nov 2011	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congratulations, Owen. __________________ Sing me a Painting, I'll paint you a Song Inside my heart is breaking. My make-up may be flaking, but my smile still stays on. The show must go on.

20th Jul 2012, 03:41 PM	#13
Black Cat Ever The Consummate Gentleman... Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: This cat is out of the bag - I mean closet Location: Pennsylvania Age: 22 Posts: 2,984 Join Date: Jun 2009	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congratulations to you!! Happy fifth EC-Versary Owen!! And here's to five(+) more years of EC'ing in your future. Thanks for all the contributions you've made over the years. __________________ "Your life is an occasion. Rise to it." - Mr. Magorium

20th Jul 2012, 03:50 PM	#14
IrisM Nerdy T-Girl Full Member Gender: Transgender - MtF Orientation: Women or David Tennant Out Status: Family only Location: Nowheresville, Massachusetts Age: 27 Posts: 1,288 Join Date: Jul 2012	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! You are a wonderful person and this community is greatly enriched for having you here. Congratulations on your five years at EC. __________________ As I sit here in my cage, I gaze out from between the bars, wistful, imagining the feel of wind under my wings.

21st Jul 2012, 12:39 PM	#15
alex2020 EC Addict Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: It fluctuates. Out Status: To some. Location: Florida Age: 20 Posts: 2,040 Join Date: Aug 2011 Tournaments Won: 2	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congrats Owen! __________________ “Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.”

21st Jul 2012, 04:04 PM	#16
Theory Member Regular Member Gender: Female Orientation: Bi... maybe Out Status: 4 friends and my dad Location: TX Posts: 39 Join Date: Jul 2012	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congrats Owen! __________________ Even when it feels hopeless, You're gonna get through this, Head above water, gotta fight from going under, Even when it feels useless to wish, You're gonna get through this

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21st Jul 2012, 05:48 PM	#18
Jonathan Formerly Muzzy Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Some people Location: Illinois Age: 21 Posts: 3,766 Join Date: Oct 2007	Re: Five year anniversary of joining EC! Congrats Owen!!! A few more months and it'll be five years for me as well Here's to another five years! __________________ "In an ideal world, no one would talk before 10 a.m. People would just hug, because waking up is really hard." - Zoey Deschanel