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geminigirlNot a bad joke. Promise.
My office is incredibly social...especially on Fridays. Usually that means an extended lunch out of the office. Yesterday we managed to drag out nine people out of the 14 who work here (not everyone was in...ten people were in the office.)
We got into a conversation about markers for sexual orientation...can you tell someone is queer or not. A. was wondering how I could just know he was gay the first time I met him. I didn't have a good answer; I just knew. L. asked if I knew about her...I told her she was more confusing. But then, I met her partner when I had a third interview here...it was the day before Thanksgiving and she mentioned that they were going up to see her parents. Together. And I think it sort of hit me and then blew by. I think it amused them that I could tell about them, and they just figured I was some alternachick and not a freakybisexualgirl.
We're a great diverse group...in many ways. Age....22 to 37. Racially...1 African, 3 African-americans, 6 white, 65 Hispanic/Latino(a), sexual orientation...half queer, half not, and a good gender mix as well...more women than men, but that's typical in most social service systems.
So what we ended up talking about...was how lucky we are to be able to be as out as we are. We work in an incredibly safe environment, where there isn't anyone in the closet, even if there are varying degrees of outness. And how it's not given a second thought to be out here. A. talked about how his partner went through a lot deciding whether or not to come out at work, and how out to be and so on.
So I'm wondering, why it took so darn long for me to feel like I could put my rainbow and leather stickers on my car. What issue did I have that held me back? I'm out, and it's integrated into my life..it's not the be all and end all of what I'm doing...which is so wonderful. It's just sort of there, but I'm vocal about it when I need to. I feel like I'm becoming a whole-er person. I just don't know what the me I'm going to turn up with is going to be like.
My office is incredibly social...especially on Fridays. Usually that means an extended lunch out of the office. Yesterday we managed to drag out nine people out of the 14 who work here (not everyone was in...ten people were in the office.)
We got into a conversation about markers for sexual orientation...can you tell someone is queer or not. A. was wondering how I could just know he was gay the first time I met him. I didn't have a good answer; I just knew. L. asked if I knew about her...I told her she was more confusing. But then, I met her partner when I had a third interview here...it was the day before Thanksgiving and she mentioned that they were going up to see her parents. Together. And I think it sort of hit me and then blew by. I think it amused them that I could tell about them, and they just figured I was some alternachick and not a freakybisexualgirl.
We're a great diverse group...in many ways. Age....22 to 37. Racially...1 African, 3 African-americans, 6 white, 65 Hispanic/Latino(a), sexual orientation...half queer, half not, and a good gender mix as well...more women than men, but that's typical in most social service systems.
So what we ended up talking about...was how lucky we are to be able to be as out as we are. We work in an incredibly safe environment, where there isn't anyone in the closet, even if there are varying degrees of outness. And how it's not given a second thought to be out here. A. talked about how his partner went through a lot deciding whether or not to come out at work, and how out to be and so on.
So I'm wondering, why it took so darn long for me to feel like I could put my rainbow and leather stickers on my car. What issue did I have that held me back? I'm out, and it's integrated into my life..it's not the be all and end all of what I'm doing...which is so wonderful. It's just sort of there, but I'm vocal about it when I need to. I feel like I'm becoming a whole-er person. I just don't know what the me I'm going to turn up with is going to be like.
