Jeffrey

Jeffrey, age 7

Wetumpka, Alabama (1968)

I was a smart, eccentric kid, who was quite often prone for creating dramatic moments. I was fairly extroverted and asked lots and lots of questions, which I later discovered annoyed many adult friends & family members. The best thing my parents did for me then was get me involved in a local children's community theater program, to channel my creative energy. Also, I was quite conscious of my wardrobe, even at an early age. A childhood friend recently reminded of my youthful passion for Hush Puppy shoes, which started in about the 3rd grade.

"It’s never too cold to show off a nice pair of legs."

This was the Christmas photo call on the front porch of my grandparents’ house. Why was I wearing shorts outdoors at Christmas? Lord only knows. My beloved grandmother told me shortly thereafter that I was getting to be too old for shorts and knee socks.

Growing up in Texas, I always felt like I was different from other kids. For my entire childhood, I couldn’t understand why I didn’t like football, dating, or other things Texan. It was not until I went off to college that my first girlfriend suspected what was going, labeled it, and got me onto the path of self-discovery (yeah, a real-life Will & Grace).

At some level, I just cringe looking at the pic now. However, it really does capture who I was at that time. Although I’ve never been a clotheshorse by any stretch of the imagination, smart-dressing has always been hugely important.

For younger gay kids now, I say: Dare to be different, and always be true to yourself. High school may suck, but college will be great!

Jeffrey's first, famous-person same sex crush:

Adam West ("Batman")
Along with Danny Powell, the lifeguard at our local swimming pool
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