On the other hand, there’s a similar number of women who won’t sleep with you, either.
Stay away from my nipples!
Esprix
We get comediennes like Margaret Cho 
The company is Absolutely FABULOUS!
By being gay, you gain a better understanding of women, since they aren’t threatened by you. (Take that, Straight friends!)
And, in my case, Friends girlfriends will confide in you more stuff than they even confide in their boyfriends.
Speaking of which there was a huge queer contingent there holding hands, kissing, groping, etc. Just like straight dates. It was too sweet.
But, dear, you’re your own private minority of one! 
Off the top of my head:
[ul][li]The best thing about being queer for me is that coming out forced me to examine my life and my values. It made me look inside myself, and forced me to reject the shallow standards and expectations of the world I grew up in. It deepened my compassion, tolerance, and understanding of self. Everything I like about myself began with that first moment of self-honesty. I really don’t think I’d like my straight doppleganger from a parallel universe.[/li][li]No war of the sexes There’s this element of power struggle in straight relationships that’s always struck me as bizarre. Many of the couples I know approach a relationship like a war where either the man or the woman is defeated. There’s also a sense of bafflement – “What do women want?” “What do men want?” It keeps a whole library of self-help books and relationship magazines on the shelves at any given time. I realize that’s not all straight people of course, but I’ve seen it often enough.[/li][li]No unwanted preganancies In my old neighbourhood, a lot teenagers were already having children, then getting married and dropping out. And the kids were made to suffer, as though it were their fault. I’ll never be responsible for bringing a child into the world who isn’t wanted.[/li][li]Communities Most of my closest friends I’ve met in queer social and political groups. I really think people have a need for community.[/li][li]The idea that, just by living honestly, I’m changing my small corner of the world 'Nuff said. And watching the world change for the better, in the ten years since I came out, has restored my faith in the human race.[/li][li]The coming out story I think it’s really neat that each of us carries around at least one story to tell – and usually one they’ve told so many times, they know how to tell it well. People don’t tell enough stories, these days, I think – oral storytelling has been supplanted by written fiction and television.[/li][li]**And of course, as matt_mcl mentioned, there’s always shounen ai ** :D[/ul][/li]walks away singing nee, ii koto mo, warui koto mo, subete tashite ni, de watte, umaku ikite, toki o koetai
Ahh, you obviously missed the lesbian controversy on here. Straight guys like lesbians, you see, so we’re willing to make the tradeoff. (Even though we know you don’t do it for us, etc. etc. indignant comments yak yak).
Being bi is the absolute best when-
-You’re at the bar with your husband checkin out the hotties.
(Keeps jeolousy and fights under control, and hell…hotties.)
-You are shopping at Home Depot.
God I love the chicks that work there. I usally ask them for
advice, because the guys always respond “Wait, your gonna do
this on your own. Your husbands not gonna help!”
-Giving advice to friends who are coming out. What to do,
positions, pick up spots, reacting to the gaydar,and dating
advice. You know the basics.
-The Dope Fest!!! Smart Sexy Hotties every where you
look! Not mentioning any names!
-Disco
-No-strings boinking on a platter if you choose to partake
-Being able to indulge my taste for chickflicks (Princess Diaries, Bring It On et al) without my standing as a cultural commentator suffering as a result. Hell, it’s practically a qualification.
-The expansive collection of pornography available at all your friends’ houses
-Being rebellious and subversive without even having to put in an effort
-Kitsch
-Toe-nail polish and sandals in the summer
-Being able, if not expected, to drink frou-frou cocktails rather than beer
-BJ while watching Liza Minnelli’s wedding on TV (which was, I think, my gayest moment ever)
And in case I look too dreadfully shallow:
-Falling in love with Canadian boys who fall in love with me back
Okay, fill in the straight square: what’s Shounen Ai?
Hell, fill in the queer square: what’s (possibly who’s) Shounen Ai?
[sub]Please, please, please, don’t let the Queer Patrol come take away my toaster oven cause I don’t know![/sub]
-swampbear (not all that fashionable for a gay guy)
Best things about being gay?
– You can look right through attractive, look-at-me-look-at-me women on the street and make them perplexed.
– You can not feel as guilty about being homophobic as someone straight.
– You can look at guys’ peepees in the bathroom and locker room.
– You can delve into and examine yourself out of loneliness instead of falling into the marriage codependency trap.
– You can have sex at almost any time you want for free and have a wide choice of attractive guys to choose from.
– You have a reason for all your problems, shortcomings, flaws, insecurities, and issues.
Important safety tip re: shounen ai: Do not, repeat, do NOT do a google image search from work. Nope, nope, nope…
Even if they are not sexually attracted to each other, two gay men who are strangers at a party, bar, airport, etc. can click fast and can have a great time with ease.
Most straight women are really very funny and smart when they don’t feel obligated to have to “act that way” around a guy.
Most of the movies you want to see aren’t blockbusters, so you don’t have to fight the crowds.
Anytime you have doubts about how great it is to be queer, all you have to do is listen in on two straight guys having a conversation.
And 90% of my friends could do a better job designing rooms on Trading Spaces with half the budget.
Using my l33t Japanese sk1llz, I know that ai means ‘love’. Therefore, shounen ai means ‘shounen love’. Now, I’m not sure what shounen means, but I read in one of the gazillion ‘Ask the Gay Guy’ threads about bishounen–basically, men with feminine features. I draw my conclusions from there.
How close am I, using no Google searches and no reference books whatsoever?
Now, the great things about being bisexual:
-
Lots of bisexuals are artsy, intellectual types with good fashion sense. Bully for me!
-
It’s either better than or worse than being homosexual, depending on your views. Good way to sort the morons from the rest of humanity.
-
Gay people get a toaster for coming out. Bisexuals get a transistor radio. When your life’s on the line, which’s more useful? Whack the zombie in the head, or call for an airstrike and run like hell?
-
I can blend in anywhere. Redneck bar in Tennessee? I’m straight. Nightclub in San Francisco? I’m gay. I’m the Stealth Bisexual! Ph33r m3!
-
And most of all–threesomes! (though I am a strict monogamist and think threesomes are a bit disturbing, unless there’s a hell of a lot of communication and stability in the relationships involved)
Oh, and a question: I’ve seen jokes where bisexuality was equated with being a Depeche Mode fan. What’s this all about, since I’m an avid listener of DM? Am I missing out on a great bisexual inside joke? Do I deserve to call myself a bisexual, even though I’m clueless?
I get to be a woman and have sex with women. What could be greater than that?
Straight women don’t see you as competition any more.
Boobs. Boobs, boobs, boobs. (And the equivalent body part for gay guys).
You’re not expected to wear make-up and spend hours on your hair (though I do anyway).
You have this wonderful secret to reveal to friends as you get closer, putting them into a position of trust and making them feel more like your friends than before.
That secret isn’t always a bad thing either - ‘I know something you don’t know!’ I do tell my friends, or rather it just happens through pronoun usage, but I don’t look gay and strangers never know.
Gay bars and clubs are much, much better than straight bars.
Boobs boobs boobs boobs boobs.
You have lots of female friends who know how to use power tools. You probably even do yourself (not because you’re butch, but because you don’t depend on a man to do those things for you).
Lesbian sex is almost completely safe sex.*
Fancy dress parties where people actually turn up in costume.
Did I mention boobs?
*I know there are risks to any sort of sex, but statistically lesbians are at a miniscule risk compared to other sexualities.
I’m bookmarking this thread.
You got it, Lodrain. Shounen-ai is anime, manga, or doujinshi (fan manga) that deals with love between teenage boys/young men. Usually romantic rather than erotic (that’s called yaoi).
Hamish, that was a great post. Since you stole all my high-concept stuff…
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Once you’ve overcome the whole “sex with someone of the same gender” stigma, there are very few taboos that’ll stop you.
-
People feel good about being friends with you. Treating you like a regular human being, and not discriminating against you like most of the world does, makes them proud. I like that.
WHAT? Okay, this wasn’t discussed at the meeting. I’m officially back to “Straight but not narrow” if I have to become a Depeche Mode fan.
The whole “he’s a guy” thing was easy to deal with, but this is just wrong.
Stupid transistor radio’s still on back order anyway.