Showing posts with label Don. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Don. Show all posts

January 18, 2011

Don

Don, age 12
Livonia, Michigan (1979)

Here's me on vacation in Florida with my brother Joe feeding the seals at SeaWorld. I am wearing two essential pieces of every outfit I wore that summer: my Christian Dior rose-tinted, tortoise shell glasses and my floppy suede leather hat that I had personalized with more than 20 googly-eyed puff balls - popular then like Pet Rocks or Garbage Pail Kids. I wore them both everywhere!

"Express Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself"
I had begged the optometry technician to continue to tint my glasses more pink until she finally said, 'Honey, if I tint them anymore, they'll become sunglasses.' And I knew the hat was better than any other I saw because mine was one of a kind, and it was made by me.

Later that year, I spent all winter break in my room continually listening to Bette Midler's soundtrack for "The Rose." 30 years later, I still can recite her entire concert monologue from that time in my life.

While my brothers listened to KISS, Van Halen and Journey, I listened to Donna Summer, Captain and Tennile, The Carpenters, Diana Ross and especially, Bette Midler. I had no idea why I identified so much with these women, and was amazed (when I later came out) about the concept of a Gay Diva and my shared love of a soulful (usually black) woman singing to me.

As I look back at this picture I am reminded of the strange mix of creativity, confidence, determination and sadness I felt about never feeling like I fit in, but also feeling compelled to express myself. Adults use to tell me things like:

"Boy, you're really different.'" And I would respond, 'Thank you.'

Things changed the next summer when I went to Junior High - where everything from my clothes to my music needed to change if I was to survive the school taunts and harassment. I ended up spending tremendous energy repressing and denying myself (and my feelings) until I accepted being gay and came out at 28.

Now I have a love of both a great diva and a great guitar solo, which is why I absolutely love Judas Priest! Rob Halford kicks ass!

Don's first, famous-person same sex crushes:
Mark Goddard (Major Don West on "Lost In Space")
Racer-X (from TV's "Speed Racer")
Erik Estrada (from "CHiPs")
My first full-fledged real crush was definitely Ponch from "CHiPs"!
OMG. That smile and those pants!
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Click here - "Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay" book
Click here - "My First Gay Crush Blog"
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Don

Don, age 10
Hicksville, NY (1959)

"Door opener"

Seeing myself on the car roof, it appears that I’m camping it up. I was always quite the entertainer. Whether this was the signs of being gay or just my personality, I can’t really say for sure.

Later, in high school (Billy Joel was in my class), I would become a thespian in the dramatic society to further indicate my “dramatic” flair.

At school dances when all the other boys were afraid to ask the girls to dance, I was the first on the floor.

I liked playing with my girl friend next door & seeing who could diet the best since I was a chubby kid.

I also remember liking the “Sons Of Hercules” show on Saturday mornings and feeling very guilty to the point that when my parents would enter the living room, I quickly switched the channel to cartoons until they went to the kitchen - then I would resume my pleasure.

Looking back at this, they probably wouldn't have cared one way or another, but my instincts told me it was “wrong”. I didn’t officially come out until 1979, but always admired the school gymnasts & the older Boy Scouts in my troop.

When I moved to Chicago in 1975, it was a Playboy Bunny, of all people, to befriend me & take me to my first gay bar. What an experience! I’ve been enjoying it ever since!

Don's first, famous-person same sex crush:
Steve Reeves (bodybuilder and TV's "Hercules")
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STEVE REEVES 24X36 B&W POSTER PRINT Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules New York in the Fifties The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV (Applause Books)