General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Did you hate, fear or dislike gay people at one time? [View all]gollygee
(22,336 posts)Although not too much as I had a close gay friend in high school. And then a very close cousin came out and I lost what discomfort I had before that. Still, it was the 1980s and on the whole, society (and I was a part of that) was not supportive.
Oddly, my discomfort seemed to be limited to gay kids. I had a couple of teachers who were openly gay (at least my teacher parents knew they were gay and I knew as well - not sure if other kids knew) and I don't remember any discomfort around them, just kids. It might have been partly just a discomfort with youthful sexuality or something. I was a late bloomer so maybe it was more other kids being sexual at all than specifically gay.
I think a lot of people get past this because people they love and care for are gay. And I think part of why homosexuality is so much more accepted now than it was in the 80s is because so many more gay people are open about their sexuality, so most people do have someone they love whom they know is gay.
I hope as transgender people come out of the closet more and more that the same happens for them. I have several transgender people in my life and I know how difficult things can be for them.