Annette, age 3
Bern, Switzerland (1980)
As a little kid, I was particularly fond of hats and dungarees. Though never a tomboy and a rather timid child, I nevertheless shunned the "girlie" stuff, and hated wearing dresses. In fact, I was often mistaken for a boy, and my feeling of self has always been one of a gay "in-between" in many ways.
I knew I was somehow different by the age of about 10, but I couldn't put my finger on it. But I found women more fascinating than men in every way.
At age 14, I became infatuated with Barbra Streisand, but still didn't understand that I was - and had in fact always been - a gay kid. That all came much much later, when I came out at age 23.
Looking back, I wonder how I could have missed all these signposts! Life would have been easier, had I understood and accepted my true identity earlier. Because I loved being that kid with the hat and the dungarees!
Once I got through the rough terrain of puberty, reconnecting to these early moments brought a lot of joy and self-realization.
And you can get to this point, too! And let me tell you: It does get better!
