Vicki...The only Queen at CanJam?

[naamanf]

It's weird that you quoted me as Beefy, but that's funny.

That is very weird. I didn't change a thing when I did it.

I missed yelling "Lloyd" this year.

[mrarroyo]

Being contented and satisfied with your self is a great step forward in a person's life. Of the three (Steve, Shelly, and Ryan) I have only met Ryan although I have exchanged PM's with Steve and Shelly and even bought/sold stuff with them. It is very liberating to see the positive feedback given by all who have responded and I sure hope that the lives of all three gets better and more empowering/liberating as time goes by. Times and places are funny indeed, I was raised in the Caribbean (Cuba and Puerto Rico) and I remember we used to joke a bit in high school (all boys catholic high school which is not the norm here) but there was an acceptance of those who thought differently. That was not what I saw when I started college in Atlanta and later when I lived in Chattanooga. I find that many in the USA are not only very puritanical but also very repressed and unable to share their space with others. For example in the Caribbean it is perfectly acceptable to show affection to your loved ones with a kiss on the cheek. This to fathers, brothers, sons, etc. however it is not common in the USA and I have received weird looks when I have said good buy to my father and brother at the Atlanta airport. For the record I am not gay and I am one of those who loves BIG BOOBIES ala Reality Kings. For those who came out I take my hat off and I wish you the best.

[manaox2]

Congrats Fitz! I did notice a change and thought it was possibly the alcohol and excitement. Its wonderful that its affected you in such a positive manner, I am very happy for you and hope that it continues.

If you guys are ever in the Raleigh area, LMK! It was great seeing you again and hanging out this past weekend. I look forward to the next time we meet.

[The Monkey]

Wasn't there a gay convention somewhere else in chicago during canjam weekend too? I know at the hotel there was Canjam... and boobs convention... and prom night...

Ugh, one of the prom-going girls called me "sir" when she asked me to take her picture with her friend. That made me feel old. Not being able to operate the camera--that made me feel drunk.

[Voltron]

I missed yelling "Lloyd" this year.

Now THAT was really funny.

[screaming oranges]

Ugh, one of the prom-going girls called me "sir" when she asked me to take her picture with her friend. That made me feel old. Not being able to operate the camera--that made me feel drunk.

Taking a pic focused on her boobs? Priceless.

[The Monkey]

Taking a pic focused on her boobs? Priceless.

Heh, no comment.

[Dreadhead]

Congrats Fitz on discovering who you are

[Fitz]

Dang this thread is turning out to be quite the coming-out party. I almost have to wonder who'll be next.

Fitz, I definitely caught more positive vibes off from you than at the last time we met. You're a cool dude too and I look forward to the next time we meet. We'll have to re-assemble with Justin (MPI), Scott, & Colin to re-create the drunken ramblings next time. Make it happen!

Hell yeah! I still need to upload my videos of MPI, dude's an endless stream of entertainment after he's had a fifth of scotch.

[Duggeh]

Just read through the thread. Steve, well done for saying what you said. I can't imagine how difficult such decisions may seem to you. It doesn't do a damn thing to change the way I think about you. You're the same upstanding chap. (although I lump you under the heading of "barbarian colonial" just like most of the people on the forum) I have to say though that when you spoke about the other person who came out to you my immediate intuition turned out to be correct. The timeframe seemed to coincide with things I remember reading about. Ryan, you did seem to me to be more gregarious en masse at Canjam than at Danjam. I spent a lot of time talking with you at Danjam (there where people I spoke more with than others, as happens at events where you meet a lot of new people) and I got on with you well and it bridged the gap that there is between an aquintance and a friend (the online divide). You're being gay does fuck all to alter that. I'm glad that you had the bravery to move from the PM to the public forum and I applaud you for your bravery as I do for Steve and Shelly, who like Steve I met for the first time at Canjam.

Attitutes change and I guess among the HC population I'm part of the young demographic. I've lived with people of all sexes, orientations, races, nationalities and political beliefs. I don't hold a damn thing against them (or for them) on these matters. A couple of them were arseholes, but this was because they behaved like dicks, not because they were gay or Chinese or communists. You judge people by their personalities, convictions and actions, not on the colour of their skin or what anatomical protuberances they have a preference for fondling (although I would put myself like others in the boobie camp there).

Steve. I don't recall the details of the story because of the incredible compression of experiences and information over the last week, but I hope that at the time of your nipple piercing on the boat story you were still in your mixed period. It allows me to live lecherously and vicariously.

I will condemn no man for being gay. However, straight or gay, it's a dreadful thing to admit you own a Celine Dion album.

[postjack]

This is absolutely true. It's written in our gay history books that our gay ancestors did not like the color of hetero blood. They found it just too Vermilion, so they added a bit of a lovely shade of Lavender they named Heather Dawn. The viscosity is purely a result of some of the things we tend to swallow.

Two reasons...#1: We just got tired of waiting for Cher to finish up, so we could get the procedure done. #2: Gay babies are raised on Banana Daiquiris. I assumed this was common knowledge, sorry for the misunderstanding. We're squaring this away with our press agent as we speak.

They're FABULOUS !

and grats to Fitz!

[boomana]

Cool, Fitz.

[Tyll Hertsens]

Hey Fitz, cyber-smooshy hugs to you too, mang.

[NightWoundsTime]

Congrats all but I agree Ryan that you're especially brave to be coming out to us so early. I did notice your newfound freedom but suspected nothing other than drunkenness. I definitely don't have an actively working gaydar but that's because I hardly care. I do however make far too many gay jokes and I'm fairly sure you folks aren't offended by them but just in case... apologies all around.

I don't think I can ever give up using the words 'gay' or 'fag' in regular speech though. My standup comedian hero Doug Stanhope said (paraphrasing), "If you're gay and you're offended by my use of the word 'fag' see me after the show and I'll blow you. It's too good a word to lose." Then of course there was the recent South Park episode redefining 'fag' to mean riders of loud motorcycles. I was a polite little Christian kid who grew up in a household that was vaguely racist and seriously homophobic ("I'm not homophobic, because that implies I'm afraid of you. I just think you're disgusting", being an oft repeated phrase in my house). My rebellion was to stop practicing religious morality and start with a more practical morality. The worst I do to anyone is curse an awful lot, and I need all the ammo I can get for when I find the person who is actually offended.

[boomana]

Your post confused me for a min, Matt. I keep forgetting that Fitz has another name other than Fitz.

[Beefy]

Thanks, Beefy, but life's good. I'm not looking for anything.

Well, that is even better

I am the member Steve was referring to in the beginning of his post.

Yay Fitz!

*

You know, while I'm so stoked that everyone is comfortable and confident enough to come out...... well, it still saddens me that you have to even be comfortable and confident in the first place. It should just be 'you', as you are, no questions, no explanation. Still, baby steps are good......

[Fitz]

Thanks for the kind words everyone, it really means a lot to me to know I'm surrounded by such wonderful people.

Congrats all but I agree Ryan that you're especially brave to be coming out to us so early. I did notice your newfound freedom but suspected nothing other than drunkenness. I definitely don't have an actively working gaydar but that's because I hardly care. I do however make far too many gay jokes and I'm fairly sure you folks aren't offended by them but just in case... apologies all around.

Thanks Matt, your comments when we made the midnight cheeseburger run are what made me actually realize the change in my behavior. I knew I felt more outgoing, but I'm a horrible judge of my own behavior so it didn't occur to me that it was not just an internal difference.

You don't have to worry about gay jokes and things like that though, at least not around me; I've spent enough time playing counter-strike that they became meaningless to me years ago.

Your post confused me for a min, Matt. I keep forgetting that Fitz has another name other than Fitz.

Sometimes I forget too. On a number of occasions I've nearly introduced myself as Fitz to random people, when I only really still use that nickname around you guys.

[Dusty Chalk]

Okay, since I responded with Shelly and Steve, I guess it's only fair that I do Fitz, too: I had no idea. Really. None. Not a clue.

[Absorbine_Sr]

Thanks Matt, your comments when we made the midnight cheeseburger run are what made me actually realize the change in my behavior. I knew I felt more outgoing, but I'm a horrible judge of my own behavior so it didn't occur to me that it was not just an internal difference.

Wait a minute.... I loaned my car so a queer could get cheeseburgers?????

Seriously Fitz, I'm proud to have met you and it's very cool you can do this. Those cheeseburgers tasted great at the time, but now they are even better. You're a hell of a guy.

Mike

[morphsci]

@ Fitz - You were definitely more at ease at CanJam than at DanJam. I just attributed that to the fact that you did not have to think about spending another 10 hours in the car with Brent on the way back. Anyway, congratulations on figuring things out and sharing with us. Great seeing you again

[Fitz]

Wait a minute.... I loaned my car so a queer could get cheeseburgers?????

[guzziguy]

@ Fitz - You were definitely more at ease at CanJam than at DanJam. I just attributed that to the fact that you did not have to think about spending another 10 hours in the car with Brent on the way back. Anyway, congratulations on figuring things out and sharing with us. Great seeing you again

Remind me not to ride with Brent. He's not gay, but it looks like he's a carrier.

[deepak]

I wasn't planning to post this here until a bit later, but after seeing the amount of positive energy here I've decided to go ahead and let the cat out of the bag: I am the member Steve was referring to in the beginning of his post.

Unlike most people, I did not realize I was gay by the time I was in my teens, and always thought I was solidly heterosexual. It wasn't until earlier this year, having been single for a few years that I finally began to notice an attraction towards other men, which caused me more than a small amount of distress at the time. It reached a point that I needed to confide in someone else, and sent Steve a message one night after I'd been up late thinking about my situation. He was nothing but supportive of helping me work through it, although at the time I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by me having good instincts in choosing to go to him for advice.

After sending that message to him and starting the initial dialogue, I quickly felt more and more comfortable with the fact that I was gay, and within days I had become certain and completely okay with it. It made me feel incredibly empowered, like a veil was lifted off my mind. Even in ways unrelated to sexuality I've felt very liberated... I'm significantly more comfortable talking openly to people even if I don't know them, no more quietly sitting off to the side all the time. Some people who've previously met me might have noticed that at CanJam; one person even directly commented on it to me.

Now that this is out in the open, everyone can start a new wave of jokes about me and Steve sharing a room for CanJam.

Fitz that is very cool. Glad you too feel comfortable enough at Head-Case to share this with us.

Does this explain the "my ass is so sore" post from ***BRENT*** ?

I will still probably be able to kick your ass at Gun Game with a laptop track pad though

[blessingx]

Wow, congrats all. Really this is the thread made me sad I missed CanJam. Brave people and a truly supportive community.

Now I'm wondering where everyone fits on the Kinsey Scale? Can we add that field to our profiles?

Mr. 2

[Cankin]

Congrat Fitz, we have another brave man here!

You judge people by their personalities, convictions and actions, not on the colour of their skin or what anatomical protuberances they have a preference for fondling

I think highly of you until this sentence

However, straight or gay, it's a dreadful thing to admit you own a Celine Dion album.