I was asked by Terry in a post:

To you, what are some great things about being gay and what are the downsides to being “hetero challenged”?

For me, the only real difference between myself and others who think themselves “hetero” is the fact that I am a human male who is attracted to other adult human males, and acknowledges such in a open manner. Add to that: I have seriously questioned my sexuality in the face of what others would tell me what I have to be.

Maybe that sounds overly simplistic, but sometimes the simplest things are the best.

lick to embiggen… and for the rest of the picture. (there’s no nudity)

If I had to split the upside and the downside of being gay, I find it a harder question to answer, really.

Here’s what I have come up with so far:

Great Things, a.k.a. “the pros”:

• I have no doubts about the accuracy of the Kinsey Report;
• There’s a married guy somewhere who is terrified of me;
• I know my enemies;
• After a workout at the gym, I feel like a new man… and he’s right there in the shower;
• When someone turns his back on me, I actually consider it an opportunity.

Okay. I admit, those are just jokes. (Well, maybe all but the “I know my enemies” entry.) I really don’t have a list of things that are great. To me being gay is just living, as I would imagine anyone does—regardless of their sexual identity. Some days are awesome, and some days are not.

Downsides, a.k.a. “the cons”:

• The possibility of being killed by a nut-job for who I am;
• The probability of having my personal property destroyed for what I do;
• The actuality of being discriminated against and terminated from my job with no protection;
• Not having the same legal rights with my partner of 11+ years that hetero couples have. I don’t want special rights. I just want the same rights;
• Having to explain or justify my sexual identity to people who have never questioned their own (much like accepting religious dogma without question, but that’s another story).

So there you have it. Those are the current downsides as I see them.

What about you? What are some great things about being gay and what are the downsides to being “hetero challenged”?