She came out

[UNCGrad]

I got tears in my eyes telling my wife about this thread.

Goddammit, now I'm crying (again).

 

[Flip Wilson]

Geez, please tell those family people I said to **** right off, too.

Who gives a damn? Let people be whomever they want to be. God-squadders are worse.

My wife laughed when I read this to her.

And, for what it’s worth, we’re members of a wonderful moderate Baptist church with a female pastor, and LGBTQ+ folks serve in a number of roles within the church.

 

[UNCGrad]

The kid was asked back to her dance studio's recital this weekend, and her number just murdered the people around her. Pure joy in her performance. Free. She had two rehearsals. 2. They had months.

A woman walked up to her after, "I couldn't take my eyes off of you. Where do you go to school? Oh, New York."

I didnt cry then.

Now?

(Yes.)

 

[HanSenSE]

One of the best threads we've had here in a while.

 

[wicked]

Thank you for sharing. You, your wife and your daughter are great people.

 

[UNCGrad]

Home from work, wife and daughter still at work, and the beagle is snoring in his chair. A moderate storm just rolled through and we've lost power for the time being, but the house is pleasantly still (even with the beagle) and I've got a tall IPA poured.

I'm a lucky man and dad.

Happy early Father's Day, friends. Call someone you love.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Thank you for sharing UNC, and Happy Father’s Day.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Happy Father’s Day to those for whom it applies. Remember and revere them now while you can.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I graduated from high school 20 years ago and back then we still told the gay jokes and thought it wasn’t hurting anyone. It was a moment of shock when an acquaintance brought his boyfriend to prom.

Flash forward to today, my middle schoolers are asking each other’s preferred pronouns. I have two kids who identify as trans. A third who is non-binary. Several lesbians. And except for a handful of immature dumbasses, no one cares. I do think it’s still harder for the boys, but it’s a much different world than the one I left in 02.

I just love these kiddos doing the things we should have been doing since Stonewall but we just weren’t ready to accept.

I'm 11 years older than you and I cringe at some of the **** we said. Looking back at my senior class, I can think of at least three people who have come out in the subsequent decades and I wish we'd all done more to create an environment in which they could have been comfortable being who they were in 1991 or even earlier. My daughter is in fourth grade and told my wife that one classmate told her she likes both boys and girls. My wife said that was fine and it said a lot for our daughter that this friend (well, now ex-friend--this is the girl from the thread I started about everyday being a Judy Blume book) trusted her enough to confide in her.

I join the chorus in applauding UNCGrad's family and thanking him for this terrific thread.

 

[tea and ease]

I am from a high school of class of 1976. I'd like to think when we know better, we do better. In my college, we had a university sponsored "slave sale". Raising money for I don't remember. I have shame for participation. It wasn't a LGBQT+ movement then, but I think it fits. Again, when we know better, we do better. My nephew is gay, my sister-in-law is gay. And none of that matters to anyone in the family. And it's a large family tree! The tides are turning. Stay strong, stay well.

 

[wicked]

I graduated in 1997… from a Catholic high school. No one would’ve dare come out. I don’t know if it would’ve been much different in any public high school either. I’m pretty sure our vice principal, a former priest who thought he was God’s gift to us, was a closeted hypocrite.

 

[Flip Wilson]

From my high school graduating class of 1982, I think there was one guy who came out as gay years after we graduated, and has since died, of AIDS, I believe. Another classmate has transitioned from female to male. I don't believe anyone was openly out when we were in school. I'm not sure how that would have gone over in our community. I would hope that it wouldn't have been that big of a deal, but I'm pretty sure it would have been.

 

[User 150927]

I also graduated in 1982, and at least three of my friends that I know of from our class are gay. Two guys in one girl. The two guys I think there was probably that thought, but in the '80s? No way no how was it ever going to be acceptable.

 

[UNCGrad]

I graduated high school in 1994, and while I am sure there were more, my friends and I knew of at least a couple of guys in our senior class who were likely gay.

I remember friends making comments about them, and while I don't remember joining in (I mean that; believe me, I've searched inward), I didn't condemn those comments or shoot them down, either. I feel terrible about that. Those kids deserved better from me.

But I know our home has always been a safe space for any and all of our daughter's friends and acquaintances. Perhaps that helped in these momentous days since.

 

[sgreenwell]

I graduated HS in 2002, and one of the best men at my wedding didn't come out to people until 2021, and as far as we know, didn't start dating men until the 2019 and onward range. Up until that point, he had dated women, and even had a couple long-term relationships with them. We also had other gay friends as part of our group that (AFAIK) always felt welcomed and comfortable around us, dating back to HS. So, well, you never know. I imagine some people "know" their sexuality right away, whereas some people it takes a while, and others, it's longer than that.

 

[Big Circus]

I also graduated in 1982, and at least three of my friends that I know of from our class are gay. Two guys in one girl. The two guys I think there was probably that thought, but in the '80s? No way no how was it ever going to be acceptable.

Doesn't sound gay to me!

@UNCGrad, apologies for making a cheap joke on your lovely thread. Your daughter sounds like a hell of a woman and you should be proud.

 

[User 150927]

*and*

Derp. The longer I own my phone the worse it gets at recognizing my voice.

 

[UNCGrad]

Been in Brooklyn (Crown Heights) the last two days apartment hunting for the kid and her two roommates. I'm completely drained, and have a day to go. But damned if I didn't just find a great, great bar.

I'm gonna sit for a while and thank whatever spirit there might be out there for all the blessings I have.

Cheers.

 

[UNCGrad]

Seeing the automated email from Streeteasy that the Brooklyn apartment you've submitted for your daughter is "in contract" and knowing that YOUR group IS that contract.

Looooooooong way away. Send good karma (even if you don't think I deserve it...because the girls and her friends do.)

 

[wicked]

She’s bankrupting her poor journalist dad! Good luck to Ms. SoontobeCollegeStudent.