Like most gay men, I knew from a very early point that it was boys who made me excited. But its got me wondering if there was a moment in a young boys life where he realises "hang on… I think its guys that I'm into." I know many guys that have told me that they had known when they were 5 or when they were 10. But is that feeling of 'knowing' always there, manifesting into something bigger as puberty hits. Or, is there a switch that just gets flicked on at a certain time?
When we're surrounded by a society that still shies away from the word 'gay' in 2013, its hard to imagine how a young homosexual adolescent male grows to accept his sexuality 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years ago. Hollywood paints a great picture of the archetype male; strong, muscular and above all, a fantastic womaniser. Any thought of male to male fondness is thrown completely out the window. Furthermore, the typical family notions of a few years ago expected all boys to grow up to become a man, marry a woman and have 3 beautiful children. So how do you expect a gay man to know who he is when he's identity has already been decided by societal 'norms'.
The more I think about this, the more I think how it'd be impossible for a young gay man to accept himself. And yet, it has happened. Plenty of time. With plenty of people. From all around the world. I, myself is a prime example. I told you that I've known from an early age that I was gay. Yet I never exactly knew when. No, I never played with barbies when I was five. Like most of the boys in kindergarten, I thought all the girls had cooties. Hell, I don't even think I knew what 'gay' meant till high school. And that was when I knew. I didn't know if there was a switch that flicked on, I just knew. From year 7 onwards, it was the boys that my eyes were drawn to.
Yes I knew I was gay, but did I accept it? No. I tried to change it. I remember googling 'am I really gay?' on the computer and finding a table that told me it was a normal thing every adolescent boys went through. Idolisation was what they called it. I remember the relief that went through me when I saw that table. I remember thinking to myself I still had a 'chance'. But a chance a what? Marriage? Kids? Looking back now, I could blame society for making me feel that way. But it wasn't society that made me feel like that. It was me who made me feel like that. And when I realised that, that was when the acceptance for being gay came.
I didn't know when I told myself 'kevin you're gay'. I don't think I ever did. I just knew. Whether it was when I was five or when I was 12 starting high school or when I was 14 convincing myself that I wasn't gay. I just knew. So reader, if you're still reading this, here's my question for you. When did you know?
When we're surrounded by a society that still shies away from the word 'gay' in 2013, its hard to imagine how a young homosexual adolescent male grows to accept his sexuality 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years ago. Hollywood paints a great picture of the archetype male; strong, muscular and above all, a fantastic womaniser. Any thought of male to male fondness is thrown completely out the window. Furthermore, the typical family notions of a few years ago expected all boys to grow up to become a man, marry a woman and have 3 beautiful children. So how do you expect a gay man to know who he is when he's identity has already been decided by societal 'norms'.
The more I think about this, the more I think how it'd be impossible for a young gay man to accept himself. And yet, it has happened. Plenty of time. With plenty of people. From all around the world. I, myself is a prime example. I told you that I've known from an early age that I was gay. Yet I never exactly knew when. No, I never played with barbies when I was five. Like most of the boys in kindergarten, I thought all the girls had cooties. Hell, I don't even think I knew what 'gay' meant till high school. And that was when I knew. I didn't know if there was a switch that flicked on, I just knew. From year 7 onwards, it was the boys that my eyes were drawn to.
Yes I knew I was gay, but did I accept it? No. I tried to change it. I remember googling 'am I really gay?' on the computer and finding a table that told me it was a normal thing every adolescent boys went through. Idolisation was what they called it. I remember the relief that went through me when I saw that table. I remember thinking to myself I still had a 'chance'. But a chance a what? Marriage? Kids? Looking back now, I could blame society for making me feel that way. But it wasn't society that made me feel like that. It was me who made me feel like that. And when I realised that, that was when the acceptance for being gay came.
I didn't know when I told myself 'kevin you're gay'. I don't think I ever did. I just knew. Whether it was when I was five or when I was 12 starting high school or when I was 14 convincing myself that I wasn't gay. I just knew. So reader, if you're still reading this, here's my question for you. When did you know?

















