Paul

Paul, age 5

Sacramento, CA (1961)

Now at age 54, I look back at this photo of me and remember my "first gay thought": It was when Steve, my best friend next door, "mooned" me from his bedroom window. Though I couldn't identify those feelings or the attraction,
I absolutely loved it, and the feeling was intense enough that I never forgot it.

 I tried to be the best little kid in the world, totally respecting all authority and acting like an angel; probably overcompensation for realizing that I was born different, and there was no changing that.

Around 6 or 7, I loved watching "Daniel Boone" on TV, as I was so in love with Daniel's blond-haired son, Israel. 

At age 8 I remember I was also very attracted to one particular plastic army man (the sniper). His posterior seemed to be such a turn on.

Finally on my 21st birthday, I completely came out to myself.
It was either that or suicide.

Adults want to deny these feelings - either straight or gay - in kids, but we know the truth that most of us experience those sexual and affectionate feelings at young ages.

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

Darby Hinton (Israel on "Daniel Boone")

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Sam

Sam, age 10

Queensland, Australia (1981)

At this age, I had no idea what a lesbian was. Nobody said 'that's so gay' back in those days! I did, however, have a series of crushes on my 'best friends' and was in the habit of convincing the other girls at school to practice kissing with me.

I remember going to one school friend's party where we all hid under the house to play spin-the-bottle.

I tried kissing some of the boys, but it wasn't nearly as much fun as kissing one of the girls.

So my 'best friend' and I found our own corner to kiss in. Nobody else seemed to notice or care!

In those days, I loved Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Joan Jett - girls who didn't play by the rules.

Many years later, I went to the movies to see a movie called "Go Fish" - and I had no idea it was about lesbians.

When I walked out of the movie I said to my friend:
'I'm one of those girls - I'm a lesbian!'

It was a defining moment for me, the first time I realized it was OK to be attracted to other girls!
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Gregory

Gregory, age 5

New Brunswick, Canada (1989)

Here I'm striking a pose by the pool in my back yard in Burtt’s Corner, New Brunswick. We lived in a very "back woods" town, and around this time my parents were approaching the peak of their now non-existent Evangelical frenzy. I had no clue that I was "gay," but certainly knew I loved posing for photos. And, putting on private concerts for my stuffed animals, to Bette Midler songs.

I used to love to pull the neck of an over sized t-shirt over my shoulder, which revealed a birthmark (which I felt made me look like Madonna), check the mirror with my mom, and apply face-cream every night like the girls in Noxzema commercials.

I loved almost any boy on television, but developed a strange attraction to cartoon characters (future fetish warning?), especially Wheeler, the red-headed bad boy from Brooklyn on "Captain Planet." Thankfully I eventually grew to love "real" boys, and was incredibly fond of Jason Marsden from "Step By Step" and Rider Strong from "Boy Meets World."

Being queer - in the country and in a religious family, which barely tolerated dancing - my pop culture exposure was small and dependent on my older step-brother. When our parents weren't home, we'd listen to New Kids On The Block, Guns 'N Roses, and The Heights. Thankfully it was enough to instill a curiosity that carried me out of the flatland of Christian pop.

My parents are non-religious and completely accepting now, and when I showed this photo to my mother recently I asked how she couldn’t have known I was gay, she blithely replied, 'Who said I didn’t?'

Gregory's first, famous-person same sex crush:
Wheeler (on "Captain Planet")
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* Lady Gaga *

Today, Lady Gaga releases her highly-anticipated new single,
"Born This Way"

I've listened to it a few times, and I am in love with it! And no other pop star - with the massive platform and ear of the world like Gaga has - has put pen to paper to celebrate diversity and acceptance in such a blatant and daring way.

And I do believe, this will be another #1 single for Gaga - and the first pop song in history with the words GAY, STRAIGHT, BI, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDERED in its lyrics. And think of the millions of people - and kids - hearing that!

** Update 2/17/11 **
"Born This Way" went #1 in 23 countries,
debuted at #1 on the US Billboard Pop Chart,
became Billboard's 1000th #1 Single, and broke the record
(previously held by Britney Spears),
for first-week digital sales for a female artist,
tallying 448,000 downloads in just 5 days!

You just gotta say WOW!

Here's the "Country Road" version as a slideshow with pix from the blog :)


The "Born This Way" Blog is in 100% solidarity
with Lady Gaga's powerful message!

LADY GAGA, "BORN THIS WAY"

It doesn’t matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M

Just put your paws up

’Cause you were Born This Way, Baby

VERSE:

MY MAMA TOLD ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG

WE ARE ALL BORN SUPERSTARS

SHE ROLLED MY HAIR AND PUT MY LIPSTICK ON

IN THE GLASS OF HER BOUDOIR

“THERE’S NOTHIN WRONG WITH LOVIN WHO YOU ARE”

SHE SAID, “‘CAUSE HE MADE YOU PERFECT, BABE”

“SO HOLD YOUR HEAD UP GIRL AND YOU’LL GO FAR,

LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY”

CHORUS:

I’M BEAUTIFUL IN MY WAY

‘CAUSE GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN THIS WAY

DON’T HIDE YOURSELF IN REGRET

JUST LOVE YOURSELF AND YOU’RE SET

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN THIS WAY

POST-CHORUS:

OOO THERE AIN’T NO OTHER WAY

BABY I WAS BORN THIS WAY

BABY I WAS BORN THIS WAY

OOO THERE AIN’T NO OTHER WAY

BABY I WAS BORN-

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN THIS WAY

DON’T BE A DRAG - JUST BE A QUEEN

DON’T BE A DRAG - JUST BE A QUEEN

DON’T BE A DRAG - JUST BE A QUEEN

DON’T BE!

VERSE:

GIVE YOURSELF PRUDENCE

AND LOVE YOUR FRIENDS

SUBWAY KID, REJOICE YOUR TRUTH

IN THE RELIGION OF THE INSECURE

I MUST BE MYSELF, RESPECT MY YOUTH

A DIFFERENT LOVER IS NOT A SIN

BELIEVE CAPITAL H-I-M (HEY HEY HEY)

I LOVE MY LIFE I LOVE THIS RECORD AND

MI AMORE VOLE FE YAH (LOVE NEEDS FAITH)

REPEAT CHORUS + POST-CHORUS

BRIDGE:

DON’T BE A DRAG, JUST BE A QUEEN

WHETHER YOU’RE BROKE OR EVERGREEN

YOU’RE BLACK, WHITE, BEIGE, CHOLA DESCENT

YOU’RE LEBANESE, YOU’RE ORIENT

WHETHER LIFE’S DISABILITIES

LEFT YOU OUTCAST, BULLIED, OR TEASED

REJOICE AND LOVE YOURSELF TODAY

‘CAUSE BABY YOU WERE BORN THIS WAY

NO MATTER GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BI,

LESBIAN, TRANSGENDERED LIFE

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN TO SURVIVE

NO MATTER BLACK, WHITE OR BEIGE

CHOLA OR ORIENT MADE

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN TO BE BRAVE

REPEAT CHORUS

OUTRO/REFRAIN:

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

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Tom

Tom, age 8

Mercer Island, Washington (1974)

Here I am with my little sister at Disneyland, striking a quick drag queen pose.
A favorite pose of mine when I did drag later in life, but I'm surprised how early it started! This photo is especially funny, as my first celebrity crush at age 5 was Mickey Mouse, and I used to be intensely jealous of Minnie Mouse whenever I saw her. I'm glad to see that I got over my resentment.

My dad just sent me old Super 8 home movies on DVD, and there was a lotta gay in me from early on. One 10-minute clip is devoted to older family members trying to teach me to run - without swishing my arms at age 2. They were trying to erase the gay at age 2! Bless their little, caring, fearful hearts.

We moved to a neighborhood across the lake when I turned 5-years old, and I have vivid memories of being gay and wanting to marry some of my close boy friends, even at that age. The feelings start pretty early sometimes. I'm quite confident that I was born this way, and happily so.

But I wish I could have discussed this with my parents. Or with anybody! Whenever the topic of sex, love, and romance came up in my presence, there’d be a kind of painful, frozen silence. Everybody practiced 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' with me. As a result, I was a little behind on the learning curve when it came to seeking healthy gay relationships, rather than acting out a slutty gay stereotype.

But, I'm learning - a lot. And feelin' more normal than ever. The gradual acceptance by society helps. Still, as most of you know, the long road to acceptance starts within.

My first celebrity crush with a human was actor Terry Thomas, which lasted for many years. I had a recurring erotic fantasy where I would crawl through the gap in his front teeth, and fall asleep curled up on his tongue. I so loved his lisp.

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

Terry Thomas
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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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Lex

Lex, age 6

Grand Junction, Colorado (1978)

Here I am, as Johnny Scott - the name I'd given to myself from 5 to 9 years old. I had it ironed on a few t-shirts, and even on my Rocky Balboa gold-satin boxing robe that my mom sewed me. We couldn't afford more fabric, so it was just a single-ply "Johnny Scott" embroidered on the right breast.

My parents were the best, fully indulging me in my Johnny Scott persona.

He was basically a beefed-up, snarkier, more lewd version of myself. Johnny Scott flirted with the cocktail waitresses at my mom's restaurant, and dad used me as girl-bait at the college pool:

'Isn't he cute?
So, where you ladies from?'

Interests back then included: Faye Dunaway, small arson projects, Ali McGraw, discarded cigarettes, Annette Jimenez and Tina Hawley (1st grade crushes), Sha-Na-Na, The Fonz, Sly Stallone, and BMX bicycles.

I also liked shaving. While my mom took the blade out of the razor, she bought me my own shaving cream.

My first real crush was Kara Madsen, a classmate. We'd kiss like John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John did in "Grease," in that way where John put his finger under her chin, and drew her near.

Yup, Johnny Scott had a good time back in the day, and he was loved by many.
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Click here - "Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay" book
Click here - "My First Gay Crush Blog"
Click to follow my blog with Bloglovin' Tweet