Gay People! Would it bother you if people thought you were straight???

[joeybee12]

Poll question: Gay People! Would it bother you if people thought you were straight???

Just trying to keep things interesting around here!

[Padraig18]

1. Happens all the time.

I find it rather amusing. :P

[La_Serpiente]

2. I have to force myself to

lower my voice if I want to sound straight.

I can do it since I am an actor and a singer, but I have to be conscious of it.

[arwalden]

5. You Mean... Like When Mr. Humphries Lowers His Voice? -- "MENS WEAR."

[WoodrowFan]

18. Mr Humphries was GAY???

knock me over with a feather!

[arwalden]

3. "May I Speak To The Lady Of The House?" --- This is HE!

Is this cologne for yourself? Your girlfriend will love it. --- I'm sure HE will.

I see you're wearing a wedding band. What's your wife's name? --- His name is Mike, thanks for asking.

[jumptheshadow]

4. It used to happen all the time

Not so much anymore. At one time I liked the fact that many people thought I was straight. However, because straight men asked me out and I didn't want to mislead or hurt anybody, it grew into a real ethical issue.

Since I have been more forthcoming (and with age and a lot less makeup) I don't have as many of those problems. I feel a lot more comfortable because of it.

[Skittles]

6. I wish they thought my Tombo was straight

gay men come on to him quite frequently. Tom loves it - brags about how "both sexes love me". :O

[joeybee12]

7. Not many responses so far--can it be that there aren't that many of us???

Prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!

[mlawson]

9. I suppose most people think I am 'straight'....

It doesn't matter to me, one way or another, where I live. My friends & relatives know, of course; no big deal.

But I have always gotten stares from women, but very rarely from guys. :-( That is why I think I look 'straight'.

[joeybee12]

10. Do you think it may be where you live?

I've noticed that people in different areas are more attuned to who is and isn't gay--not a reflection on you, but on the part of the country.

[mlawson]

26. Maybe. I once read an article about Asheville,

that began, "The term, 'alternative lifestyle' almost loses its meaning here." This is true: many (if not most) 'straight' males here could be classified as 'metrosexuals'. They are the ones I hang out with, anyway.

But OTOH, even my close gay friends have said out loud, "Are you SURE you are not straight?". Yes, I am quite sure....

[joeybee12]

28. I think it's the South

Whenever I'm there, always asked about the wife and kids--the fact that someone might be gay never passes through too many people's minds.

Ever watch Temptation Island? Thnik there's a couple from Asheville. He's a caterer, very into his looks. Gay anywhere else.

[Sentath]

8. {censored} No!

In Oklahoma, camouflage is safer!

[AquariDem]

11. I don't always give off enough "gay vibes"

My best friend here in college always had a feeling I was gay, because I didn't get all worked up over "cute" guys, but she didn't know for sure until I told her earlier this month.

[TrogL]

12. I voted yes because

People around me assume I'm straight because I'm not a flaming queen.

Then they feel free to share their homophobia and straight sex jokes. They I have to threaten them with the sexual harassment policy.

It's a hassle.

[Dogmudgeon]

13. Nope.

It would never bother me.

Oh, wait. This is the Gay thread!

--bkl
Imagine my homosexual panic.

[joeybee12]

14. Let's keep this sucker going

I'm sure more people are out there who haven't voted yet.

[WoodrowFan]

15. Kick

A manly STRAIGHT kick. :P

[northzax]

16. well I used to have the opposite problem

straight mistaken for gay (I take this as a compliment, that people think a somewhat stylish fit man must be gay) it did cause a few troubles on dates, though. It's not always a good thing to be out wooing a nice young lady and have men hit on you, funny, those dates never went anywhere.

I guess i've stopped giving off vibes or whatever, as I confuse people much less frequently now.

[joeybee12]

17. Metrosexual?

Actually, I think that term is destined for the trash bin in a few months, sort of like those razors they sold so you could have half-day growth like the guys on Miami Vice!

[northzax]

19. shit, I have one of those

yes, I was and old school metrosexual. I was the only teacher in my school wearing Prada shoes...

[joeybee12]

20. Sounds like you're TOO into trends!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[northzax]

21. was-

and hey, Prada makes some fine shoes, I must say.

[TrogL]

22. Article on "Normal" in advocate

http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/901/901_highschool_diary.asp

[KinkyDem]

23. a great bumper sticker I saw recently ...

I don't mind straight people, so long as they act gay in public.

[thom1102]

24. People often mistake me for straight...

Most people tell me that if I hadn't told them about my boyfriend, they would never have known I was gay (hey, I managed to go 5 years in the Navy without being caught).

[terrya]

25. It wouldn't bother me...

Although if you heard my voice, there's no doubt that I'm gay. Is there such a thing as "gay voice"/ :-)

[Bertha Venation]

27. it's the default mode

I'm out. Way out. But many people don't see "it" in me, and are surprised.

It is default to be thought straight. Think about it.

[joeybee12]

29. Saw a t-shirt--How dare you presume I'm straight?

Of course, doubt I'd presume it about the guy wearing it, but the point is taken.

I also think it depends on the area of the country--face it, in big cities people don't assume that because they know gay people, and they don't in podunk towns.

[mlawson]

32. People in podunk towns know more about other residents

than people in big cities do. In small towns, everyone knows everyone; they know if you have never dated opposite sex, been married, etc etc. I've lived in such places, and I saw very little difference in people's attitudes re gays, compared to here. If they LIKE you as a person, they typically don't give a crap about your orientation. If they do not like you, then your orientation is just one more bit of ammo for them.

[WillParkinson]

30. Everyone knows I'm gay...

I don't hide it or deny it.

I don't advertise it, either, though. (Well, OK, in the bars from 18 - 19 I did but that was just to get drinks or laid.)

[David__77]

31. I think that's funny when it happens.

Rare though it is! Straight guys are always trying to talk to me while I'm at a urinal in the public restroom. This always makes me uncomfortable. I presume they think I'm straight.

[mlawson]

33. ???? Straight guys talk to you at a urinal???

Hmmm... Odd. Sometimes that happens to me, but only at our neighborhood brewpub, where everyone knows everyone. Otherwise, I will not respond to a stranger doing that; who knows if he is okay, or not???

[joeybee12]

34. Some guy did that to me at a Red Sox game..I was 10 at the time...

...didn't realize until a few years later what THAT was all about.

[mlawson]

35. When I was very young, my dad told me,

that if a grown man ever said anything to me in a public bathroom, to ignore him, and get OUT of there as quickly as possible!! I asked why, he said, "Never mind, you just DO IT!!!"

I was a sheltered kid... :-) And really really naive.

[joeybee12]

36. I think I was born too soon before all that

Seriously, people just didn't think that happened way back when.

A few years back I was at a urinal minding my own damn business when this littel kid (about 8-9) uses the next one and out of the blue asks me if I'm one of those men who does bad things to little boys.

I laughed and said no.

I wonder exactly what his parents told him!!!!!

[mlawson]

37. That woud have scared the crap out of me.

What if the kid had run out the door (anyway), and made up some story to his parents??? You never know what people are going to do, especially kids nowadays -- he might have thought it was funny to do that!

[joeybee12]

38. It is pretty scary--I think parents sometimes put ideas into kids heads

I would NEVER teach high school these days (not that I'm a teacher) but can you imagine what some spiteful girl might make up about a male teacher? There was an artilce the other day about men not going into teaching--I think this a large reason for it.

[mlawson]

39. Or a spiteful boy???

I teach in college, and as an unspoken rule, when you meet with a student, you keep your office door OPEN. If there is any question, you meet them in the hall, on the quad, some public place.

I have been 'hit on' (nonverbally) by both male and female students. But under NO circumstances can you take them up on it. It hasn't happened lately, but back when it did, I just played dumb; no response whatsoever. BTW, one of the guys was older, mid-20s, and a perfect '50' (out of ten). Talk about white knuckles on my part!!

[joeybee12]

40. Oh, won't somebody think about the children!!!!!!!!!

They ain't children anymore--that's the problem!!!!!!

[joeybee12]

41. We need more votes!

Get going, people.

[joeybee12]

42. I'll say it again--we need more votes!!!!!!