It's National Coming Out Day. How long have you been out?

[Duncan Grant]

22 years for me! ;) :hi:

[sundog]

1. 13 years

since 21 :7

[Duncan Grant]

5. HiYa!

NCD has reminded me of a few of my first coming out experiences.

I'll never forget the look on my mother's face when I said "the French foreign exchange student...". In hindsight, it's priceless! :rofl: :hug:

[ThatsMyBarack]

13. *Kudos!*

From this Straight-But-Not-Narrow gay supporter, *Kudos!* to all GLBTs who have come out, either recently or many moons ago. :toast:

[arwalden]

2. Twenty six years!

When I was 19... back in 1979.

:hi:!

[Duncan Grant]

7. I was 23 when I came out.

Did you ever dance to Jimmy Sommerville or Bronski Beat? :evilgrin: :hug:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

8. I danced to music but I'm not gay ...........

[Duncan Grant]

19. Maybe you've haven't met the right kind of music yet?!

:silly: :D

[Crazy Guggenheim]

30. Yeah that's right ...........

[arwalden]

9. Of Course I Did... But The Dance Hits When I Came Out Were...

Ring My Bell
Hot Stuff
We Are Family
Boogie Oogie Oogie
Everybody Dance
Instant Replay
Shame
The Groove Line
Let's All Chant
Dance (Disco Heat)
Heaven Must Have Sent You
Star Love
Good Times
Got To Be Real
I Will Survive
This Time Baby
Dance Yourself Dizzy
In The Bush
There But For The Grace Of God Go I

Boy... that was a fun little trip down memory lane.

[Duncan Grant]

20. That's the quintessential soundtrack!

My coming out was all about new wave. It was subversive to pierce your left ear and wear eyeliner! My how things have changed... :D

[Roon]

3. 16 years for me

Gawd,I'm getting old.

[Duncan Grant]

11. Speaking of old.

I'm still a little freaked out when the young pups call me "sir". x(

Maybe I'll grow into it. :evilgrin: :hi:

[TrogL]

4. That's not a simple question

My best guess is (in years), 9, 15, 20, or 50 pick one.

Given that most of my various "coming announcements" were greeted with "OK, so what took you so long" and I was one of the LAST people to figure it out...

[Duncan Grant]

12. How did I not know this about you?!

You'd think after the years we've both been at DU... :D :hi:

[Misunderestimator]

6. 24 here!

How the hell are you?!? :loveya:

[Duncan Grant]

15. I'm here, I'm queer, ... :^)

Am I lucky or what? All my favorite posters are in this thread! :D

Well, you know me, I'm just trying to do my part to make all the pragmatic moderates squeamish. :evilgrin: :loveya:

How 'bout you?

[Misunderestimator]

21. Yay!

Just doing my level best to promote the gay agenda at every opportunity ;)

:hug: :pals:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. umm depends

to most of the world since i was 19

to my parents almost 2 years ago

[Duncan Grant]

16. Parents and relatives can be the most challenging, can't they?

I think I underestimated my dad. I always thought he would have a hard time accepting it so I never talked to him about my life.

We fixed that though. Dad's crazy about my husband - they're pals! :hi:

[dben88]

22. you're right....

8-10 years for most of my friends. only 5 for the parents... mom was awesome. dad, well it took a few years before we spoke again.

[Duncan Grant]

26. Welcome to DU!

:hi: Hope you enjoy it here, dben88!

[Canadian Socialist]

14. I was out for 2 hours today!

I went to the bank, the grocery store and the liquor store.

Oh, wait... never mind.

P.S. I am NOT trying to take the piss out of people coming out; I just couldn't resist the temptation to make a rather weak joke.

For those who have the courage to come out today, I salute you. If you have a special someone you would like to marry, come on up!

[Duncan Grant]

18. We have a special coming out hazing for people with a sense of humor.

Money, groceries and liquor...um, sounds like the coming out party is at your house! We'll be right up. ;)

[Canadian Socialist]

23. Will you be flying or driving?

Just so I know when to expect you. BTW, bring warm clothes. It went up to 9 today (celsius). Goes below freezing during the night. However, do bring ski equipment. I heard they're opening the slopes early this year. I'm only about 1 hour from Banff/Lake Louise. Also, you can get married here.

[ronnykmarshall]

17. 24 fabulous years!

[Duncan Grant]

24. You got that right!

We're still missin' ya up here. :* :hug:

[ronnykmarshall]

29. I miss yous kids too.

I'm still a 415 boy at heart.

[hippywife]

25. Happy NCD!

A friend told that when he came out to his mom, eons ago, he started crying right away because he just knew she would be crushed. Her response? "So, does that mean you can't be happy?" Cool mom she must have been.

May everyone come to be so blessed with such a wonderful, non-judgemental response.

:hi:

[Duncan Grant]

27. Thanks for the story!

:hi:

[unsavedtrash]

28. 18 years

[Kurovski]

31. Since I was sweet sixteen.

[Scooter24]

32. Came out at 16 - 9 year Anniversary

:woohoo:

[GrpCaptMandrake]

33. A dumbass remark

would be easy, but, in all seriousness, I look to the day when "coming out" is as antiquated a term as "pitching woo."

Why should anyone's sexuality be a function of having to make some sort of public display?

I understand that it bears a badge of courage now, but won't it be nice when people can just be the sexual people they are without having to risk martyrdom?

Especially, won't it be wonderful when ONE, SINGLE religious denomination says it's within its holy canon to marry people of the same gender. That will put the issue to rest, since all these hateful "defense of marriage" acts will then become repugnant to the First Amendment. At that point the weirdos will have to either admit same-gender marriage or submit their own strange religions to regulation by the state.

Yummy, ain't it?!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. assumed heterosexuality

till you tell people and even your parents that you arent...everyone assumes you are

[GrpCaptMandrake]

36. I get that

but, gay or straight, we're not responsible for the assumptions of others. Why should others be molly-coddled for their bigotries or preconceived notions, whether they tend gay or straight?

Maybe I just don't get it because I happen to be straight.

But I look forward to the day, if we can keep the Christian Fundamentalists and the Islamic Fundamentalists and all the other weirdos from destroying the earth, when people just get to be people.

I know, I know, buncha 60s optimism.

[AlienGirl]

37. Religious denomination...

Well, in my synagogue, when some of the gay and lesbian members were allowed to be legally married by Oregon State Law, the Rabbi announced their legal marriages as they lit candles and stood on the bimah, and everyone clapped and cheered.

Tucker

[GrpCaptMandrake]

44. That's all it takes

If a church would object to a defense of marriage act on First Amendment grounds, the whole "defense of marriage" hypocritical movement would collapse.

[Telly Savalas]

43. The United Church of Canada marries people of the same gender.

[HEyHEY]

35. Out of what?

[Kurovski]

38. Well, in your case I guess it would be

a stupor. :-)

Please don't hit me, I'll cry "Gay-basher!!"

[sundog]

39. self oppression

[terrya]

40. 27 years. Since I was 22. n/t

[jackelope72]

41. I started the process 9 years ago, on June 24, 1996...

but for me it's a constant ongoing process. There are still big areas of my life where I'm still closeted (work, most of my family) not because I'm ashamed of what I am, but out of sheer survival instinct. Every new person I meet and get to know is a coming-out opportunity, and I always have to make that judgement call: do I or don't I?

[titoresque]

42. 11 years ago. :)