From: 00mkhagan@bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Coming Out Day Incredibleness
Date: 10 Oct 94 15:50:01 -0500
Organization: Ball State University

In article <37a6p4$7sa@giga.bga.com>, lazarus@bga.com (Michael Lax) writes:
> We sometimes wonder if all the yelling and 
> screaming, all the hatred and bigotry, and all the sleepless nights make any
> difference.  Today I realized just how _MUCH_ of a difference it makes.
> I have touched the lives of at least a dozen people enough for them to 
> speak out, even quietly, for queer rights.  The power in this amazes
> me, for I have done nothing more than tell people who I am. 

	I rent in a very blue collar neighborhood.  All of my neighbors
know I'm gay.  At first, my partner and I were the hot topic of fencepost
gossip, but after a few months we became part of the neighborhood.

	These people showed me that sexuality isn't the big issue it
is made out to be in the news.  We expected to be harassed and bothered.
What we got was to be accepted as part of the neighbor
hood; no hassels, no trouble.

	I think I'm making an impact on these people by being out.  Their
kids play in my yard (why, I don't know) we chat across driveways about
neighbor stuff, but they see I'm not a three headed monster.  I'm the guy
with the nice garden, the red Camaro.

	But they've impacted me as well.  I'm not as afraid of straight
people anymore.  I'm not always looking over my shoulder.  I
don't have to be paranoid.  And maybe I never should have been in the
first place.

	So coming out for me has broken down a wall between me and
my straight neighbors.  And that is the way it should be.

	Mitch