When you are brought up and live in an atmosphere that pounds into your
heads since infancy how sinful and sick what you are is. (Did that
sentence sound coherent to anyone here?)

YES. I remember being a young teenage girl and my Mother had that 'do you have a boyfriend yet' talk Zazel. I confided in her that I sure did like the boys and plenty liked me back, but I also liked girls. My mother looked at me, never took a pause and said:
"OH THAT! That's a phase that will go away quickly."

OH relief upon relief, I told myself, I'm only going through a "phase" of sorts. *LOL* I'm still waiting for the phase to pass!

Seriously though, I learned very quickly as a bisexual wom...

When you are brought up and live in an atmosphere that pounds into your
heads since infancy how sinful and sick what you are is. (Did that
sentence sound coherent to anyone here?)

YES. I remember being a young teenage girl and my Mother had that 'do you have a boyfriend yet' talk Zazel. I confided in her that I sure did like the boys and plenty liked me back, but I also liked girls. My mother looked at me, never took a pause and said:
"OH THAT! That's a phase that will go away quickly."

OH relief upon relief, I told myself, I'm only going through a "phase" of sorts. *LOL* I'm still waiting for the phase to pass!

Seriously though, I learned very quickly as a bisexual woman growing up in rural America to make the "correct" choices to fit into the heterosexual world. Because I was able to do that unlike a gay woman, it was easier for me. But I've always felt it was wrong of rural society to force me into a closet just to gain acceptance.

Deb, I can only imagine the difficulty you had in switching roles, depending on the circumstances of the moment. However it is a double edged sword. While it is true that the rural community is guilty of putting gay and bi people into those situations, it is also important for us to remember that we have choices. In this "new world" where sexual preference is an open topic, gay and bi people really do have the choice to tell people to go to hell if they choose to remain so ignorant about life. I have found that even the most homophobic people I know, nowadays, when confronted with facts, tend to back of a bit. They don't suddenly embrace their gay neighbour and kiss them on the lips, but t...

Deb, I can only imagine the difficulty you had in switching roles, depending on the circumstances of the moment. However it is a double edged sword. While it is true that the rural community is guilty of putting gay and bi people into those situations, it is also important for us to remember that we have choices. In this "new world" where sexual preference is an open topic, gay and bi people really do have the choice to tell people to go to hell if they choose to remain so ignorant about life. I have found that even the most homophobic people I know, nowadays, when confronted with facts, tend to back of a bit. They don't suddenly embrace their gay neighbour and kiss them on the lips, but they are far less aggressive than they used to be.

The point is that there are enough places in the U.S. now that are more accepting of gays and bi people. Little by little the country is maturing on these social matters. I know sometimes, it doesn't seem to, but just look at the polls. The acceptance of gays has greatly increased, and even the intolerance of the idea of same-sex marriage is beginning to wither. But we too must take a stand, and not permit ourselves to be so easily intimidated, and let other people tell us how we should feel about ourselves. I know this is all easier said than done, but no one ever said personal freedom would be easy.

But we too must take a stand, and not permit ourselves to be so easily intimidated, and let other people tell us how we should feel about ourselves.

YES, you are exactly right Zazel. Even though I am intensely private in person about my orientation, I started a few years back not giving a rat's behind what anyone thought about my so called lack of morals as defined by my peer group as they fail to realize that it is just a matter of time before they stop calling gays and lesbians inferior. It is so ironic that so many so-called Christians spend so much time attacking homosexuals just because God made them gay or lesbian because you can't claim to both love God and hat...

But we too must take a stand, and not permit ourselves to be so easily intimidated, and let other people tell us how we should feel about ourselves.

YES, you are exactly right Zazel. Even though I am intensely private in person about my orientation, I started a few years back not giving a rat's behind what anyone thought about my so called lack of morals as defined by my peer group as they fail to realize that it is just a matter of time before they stop calling gays and lesbians inferior. It is so ironic that so many so-called Christians spend so much time attacking homosexuals just because God made them gay or lesbian because you can't claim to both love God and hate people created in his image. And make no mistake about it Zazel, a part of me is gay just like you, one of the most beautiful parts of me. But an important part of me is heterosexual too. I love who I love and make no mistake about it; I love deeply and I'm loyal, and I won't let anyone ever tell me that love isn't love--and that is all that counts to me.