Danny

Age 7
Long Beach, California (1962)

I think I knew I was “different” probably around age 7. I vividly remember going to Drive-In movies with my family, and going to the restrooms by myself 2 or 3 times, and standing at the urinals covertly watching adult men peeing. 

When I was around age 10, my parents forced me to go to church with them every Sunday. So I was raised Lutheran. But I realized how hypocritical organized religion was, and when I was in High School, my parents let me decide for myself if I wanted to continue going to church or not…I chose not to.

As a kid I remember obsessing over electronic DIY kits from Radio Shack, which you would put together and learn about how everything operated.

I wasn't really bullied at all, but in the 5^th grade, this one guy hated me for some reason and was going to beat me up one time after school. And a kid that lived across the street from me heard about. He was around 17 and a high school dropout, sort of like the Judd Nelson character from “The Breakfast Club."

So he showed up at my school the next day. He saw the kid coming after me, stepped in the middle of us, and said to get the hell out of here and go home. And I guess his threat put the fear of God in that kid 'cuz he never bothered me again!

When I came out, my mother was pretty accepting of it. She had many close gay male friends who always went to her when they had a relationship problem. 

I never went to college until I turned 65 years old, and that's when I went through a Neuro Psych test and was diagnosed with ADHD, which I had my entire life. And what explains my long-time problem with not being able to retain things I read!

What gives me the most Pride now as an adult is marching with CHEER LA in the Long Beach Pride Parade to raise money for the St. Mary’s CARE Program, one of the leading HIV Healthcare facilities in Southern California.

I’ve also ridden on the KTLA Pride bus the past three years and in the WeHo Pride Parade. So what I would tell LGBTQ kids today reading my story is:

Always know, that WE older LGBTQ adults do care about you. We’re here for you. If you’re being bullied, find an ally and tell them. We’ll do all we can to help protect you, keep you safe, and be there as someone you can come and talk to, if needed.

IT DOES GET BETTER, I promise!

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Click here - "Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay" book
Click here - "My First Gay Crush Blog"

* 1 Million Views - A Tribute To Dennis *

 Hi everyone,
I really don't know where to begin, or what to say, or how to properly say it.
But I'll give it a shot :)

Today (2/6/11) the "Born This Way" Blog hit ONE MILLION visitors!

I can't really wrap my head around that, but I'm trying! And this is some kinda cool kizmet: This blog launched exactly 4 weeks ago today on 1/9/11, and hit the million-mark almost to the hour of the first posting! Kind of crazy, right?

So first, let's all applaud Kevin - our happy baton-twirling gay boy - for being the first! And this was back when I was literally begging my friends (like Kevin) with 'Hey, check out this new blog I have, and please submit something' ...

But now, let's all STAND UP - yes you, get off your chair and turn off the Superbowl for a minute - and scream, cheer, applaud and give some love, to... DENNIS!

If I had not seen his infamous pic a few years ago, my concept and idea for this project would never have come to pass!

Dennis is the reason this whole project exists!
(Well, and for posing so fabulously in his picture back in 1974!)

Thus, I was waiting for just the right time to post up his actual submission.
And I think hitting the one million mark is about as perfect a time as any.
So go check out Dennis' story out below.

And for ALL of us - myself, the people featured here, you viewers, the people leaving the wonderful comments, the countless other blogs and press pages linking to this site, and all the people emailing me with some of the most heartfelt and amazing feedback and words of encouragement:

Let's all share a toast!!!

Let's raise our glasses to each other, to full equality for gay people, to ending homophobia, to only loving our children for exactly who they are, and for those very children themselves, who need US to be their rock and their role models,
and maybe most important of all -- let's all toast to LOVE!

With heartfelt thanks!
xo Paul V., Blogmaster
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Dennis, age 3
St. Louis, Missouri (1974)

I vaguely remember this picture being taken, but I think the Olan Mills "photographer" was delaying, and I was trying to stand still while doing the
pee-pee dance. Or? I was naturally inclined to be an "Actor, Dancer, Model!"

Either way, it was amazing to me that after having this picture and a few others hanging in "my spot" in the hallway while growing up, that my parents were shocked that I was gay. How could they not figure it out? Denial, anyone?

I actually didn't know anyone else who was gay when I was growing up, and I wasn't really sure I understood what it meant. So it took me till 19-years old to figure it out. And then, the childhood pictures all made sense. Such as this 2nd pic, of me at 8 months old.

My sister had dressed me up in her Brownie Scout uniform (beret and all), and from the looks of it, I thought it was funnier than she did. I can't tell if I was doing that same knee-point under the skirt, but I'm willing to bet I was. 

Today, I live in Long Beach, CA and I've been cutting and styling hair for years.

Hey, imagine that - a gay hairstylist! Weird, huh? :)

Dennis' first, famous-person same sex crush:
Mario Lopez (on "Saved By The Bell")
And he just keeps getting better!
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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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