I had a elderly neighbor who after a year of knowing him, finally told me he was gay. He told me about how during the 80s, AIDs made him afraid of getting into relationships. And the 90s, gays were being kidnapped and murdered thanks to the whole “gay panic” defense.
Nobody would have ever known.
But he has the courage to share during pride month, when I walked around with a LGBTQ flag on my backpack.
I imagine there’s millions out there just like him. And it’s why I carry a LGBTQ flag, just so they can feel a little less alone.
As a Gen X I feel it would be hard for one of my generation to come out, with HIV being big in our youth to our teens, gay bashings
My boyfriend in 2000 wouldn’t hold my hand in public
LGBTQIA+ people exist everywhere but the acceptance and (perception of) safety is not universal or evenly distributed. I feel like this is not discussed as much as it should be.