I live in the gay capital of the MidWest (LOL -- I know -- that's still not much of a recommendation for Columbus). Growing up, many of my close male friends were gay -- likely because they honestly *listened* to me, and didn't expend all of their energy trying to get into my pants. There is nothing more painful than watching someone you love come to the realization that they are gay, and have to explain it to their friends and family....I had one friend commit suicide because of his family's response.

As you get older, people become less overt about their prejudice....we were taught we can't outright wear white robes with cowls. I managed a couple of gay employees at my last company....one of whom was desperately deserving of promotion...who didn't have a snowball's chance in hell because *someone* had learned he was gay. He was NOT overt about it. But after 2 years of beating my head against the wall trying to get him promoted, he finally told me to give up. <sigh> I wrote him a really good recommendation when he finally left the company.

If we can find a way to teach little kids to accept others, and how painful it can be to be "different" than others...we can nip this damned intolerance in the bud. Then all we have to do is wait 40 years until the properly educated children grow up and take over the world....LOL...assuming they won't be brainwashed in the meantime.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney