I've been pretty lucky in my life since coming out.
I haven't had to deal with a lot of discrimination.
I have definitely had my share of it, especially back in high school, but not anything since I came out that I could not handle.
But for some reason the incident that happened to me Sat night at work just hit me.
I don't want to get too much into it or what he said cause it was at a work event but I will say I've never felt so angry in my life when it comes to someone making fun of me.
The worse part about it was it was at work so I had to just kinda sit there and take it for hours.
When I got home I was so down and crying. Not crying cause I was sad or he hurt my feelings but that there are still people out there like this and that I couldn't do something about it.
I'm not used to being called a 'faggot' or getting made fun of for being gay cause most people don't even know I'm gay when they meet me especially since I have a deep voice.
I'm not ashamed of being gay or anything but most of the time people don't know unless we get to know each other.
So it just hit me Sat. that there are people out there who hate me and don't even know me. Don't judge me on anything I've done, don't appreciate all I have done to help others, but simply cause who I chose to date.
It was the first time I really wanted to fight against thinking like that. Fight for openness, fight for equality, fight for understanding and unity.
I ultimately don't know what I personally can do or we can do to really get the message across to those that hate and judge us that we are normal people who pay taxes and cross the streets like they do. Or at least understand that we aren't going anywhere so get over it.
But no one should have to feel how I felt Saturday night, not even for one minute of their lives. I know we always say things are going to be different in years to come but what about now?
I'm living in the now and I don't want to wait till other people get it. I don't want to have to feel like that again.
And I shouldn't have to.