Growing up gay in the thugs’ neighborhood meant that one always had to endure being isolated. True, I know from experience not only being called the six letter “f” word but also being spit on having rocks and glass bottles thrown at you to say the least. As always people assumed those things happened to me because I was effeminate or I had been sexually aggressive towards one of the guys.
 
Yet even though I was by no means an easy push over and by no means effeminate I would continue to be disrespected and treated just the same as some of the one’s who were outrageous queens and femmes; being chased by large massive crowds of thugs’ forcing me to the ground thinking they could beat me within an inch or so of my life and that that in itself would “turn me straight”.

 Unlike today things like that don’t happen that often or aren’t that frequent. But I didn’t start gaining the common dignity and respect I really deserved until my late thirties shockingly, when I crossed the paths of some of my former bullies and etc. Nowadays we can at least be civil to each other and even in some instances have formed friendships or good acquaintanceships.

 But then again like some would say “that’s what you get” for coming out of the closet at 14 especially in the early eighties when many said you didn’t exist (mainly because they believed there was no such thing as a gay teenager). 

Yes, to many who read this they don’t get why I would write this. It’s because I’m proud to have been a part of a change that made a better tomorrow for those that dared to come after me. That’s why I told my story, hopefully this will help others not to take for granted the progress we’ve made not to make themselves too comfortable with where we’ve progressed to because the “fight” isn’t over till we’re all considered equal on all accounts by all people.