How did you know you were gay?

[Someguy]

The title explains my question. I've just always wondered when and how people realized they were gay. I'm sorry if this question is too invasive or rude.

[jjasonwrght]

For me personally, I have always known.

As I got to an older age to understand HOW that made me different, I knew that it was something that should be kept private, so I just didn't tell anyone.

I find this question comes up a lot, and sometimes people answer very rudely, but it is usually asked by the people who are themselves being rude. Its refreshing for somebody to actually be asking sincerely!

Although, we all know that answer to those rude people :P It's my fave.... "How did you know that YOU were straight?" :P Heehee. Anyway, I digress.

I think most people always know in one way or another, but whether they consciously take that in or not is different for everyone :)

[xavierhonre]

I have always known I was different. Since Kindergarten, I had a girl friend everyday of my life. Sometimes two or three. My first kiss from a girl was in kindergarten during recess.

I never really interacted much with the boys in my class. They were mean and really high strung. I was nice and really timid. I tried to play soccer, kickball, kickback, etc, but I wasn't very good so I just hung out with my girl-friends.

In fifth grade (age 10) I went out on my first date. I took my girlfriend to McDonalds and we ate dinner while my dad sat across the street and watched from the doughnut shop. Around this time is when I started to get interested in the boys in my class, but I still couldn't find a way to get close to them.

In sixth grade (age 11), I was forced to sit at the same table as two boys in my class. This is when I really became aware of my sexual attraction to boys. (I might also insert that I started masturbating the summer before sixth grade and girls just weren't doing it for me. But boys...) I found myself having fantasies about these two boys and taking part in their sexual conversations.

In seventh grade (age 12) I went to a county school so that I wouldn't have to attend the crumbling city school middle school building. At this school I had gym first period. In gym we had to change, but not shower. There were quite a few hot guys in my class. It was amazing. But I still wouldn't admit to anyone that I was gay. I still had a girlfriend.

Half way through that school year, my families vehicle broke down and I was forced to attend the city schools again. When I returned, I didn't have a girl friend and all of my best friends had started fighting. I was forced to chose which group I would fall into. I decided the boys. Man was that a mistake. For the rest of the year I was called Gay, Queer, faggot. This made me even more scared to accept my sexuality. But over the summer, I did.

About three weeks before school started for my eighth grade year (age 13) my mom asked me if I was gay. That's when I started coming out. I was finally comfortable to accept the fact that I was queer.

And I want to go ahead and tell you that I dated my best friend that year. That certainly made the harassment and bullying worse.

So as you can tell, it was a very long drawn out process.

~Xavier

[FFmedic]

I guess i progressed in becoming Gay.....I blame the influence of life for this. Not to mention the Sexual Abuse....

[カナア＿ボオルムン]

well I'm not gay but I do have feelings for guys I realised it because my sister was reading shounen-ai (direct translation boy-love) she called me I looked and well let's say it didn't turn me off. it was a bit more of a sudden realisation then the others but I like girls and guys and I'm okay with that.

[Forosnai]

Basically, I knew I liked guys, thought I might like girls as well. Had a girlfriend for a little while. Had sex with said girlfriend. Ended up being like, "Yeah, no." And now here I am.

(A very simplified form of the story, but that's the essential parts of it. :P)

[lucky8ball]

I don't identify with the term "gay". Anyway, I realized that I prefered guys to girls at age 13 aka 8th grade. It happened when my best friend started putting on alot of muscle. One day it hit me like a ton of bricks that I liked looking at my friend not just because I respected him but because I fancied how his muscles got all sweaty in P.E. Well I sit here today single like a hermit bc I wait on my friend to come to terms with his sexuality. I think he has such a hard time coming to terms with his feelings for me bc he thinks same sex attraction between men automatically makes you love Madonna and want to become a hairdresser. Which is kind of funny since stereotypical "gay" life doesn't describe me at all.

[changeofspace]

I guess i always knew, but due to teasing and name calling in elementary and middle school, i suppressed it and didn't really put much thought into it. I went so far to thinking that i like looking at guys, but couldn't ever have a intimate relationship with another guy. it wasn't until last year in the 11th grade that i came out to my self, and became comfortable with being gay. During the summer, i came out to my best friend to much shock. Now in my senior year, I'm much more comfortable with being gay and maybe soon, the rest of my friends will know.
Now with my parents, I'm not worried with my mom, its only my dad that I'm worried about. Thats my story so far, i made it a little short, but its still mine.