Gay in an intolerant area..

[Dville118]

Hey y'all..

so.. I'm sort of at a loss today about something that happened yesterday. I suppose I have to predicate this with the fact that I tend to "make a mountain out of a mole hill" (whatever a mole hill is..) so a lot of my thoughts on this event are perceived and speculative.

I live west of ATL in a rural area of town. I have a simple house in a small neighborhood that, before the economy went south.. was a nice quiet place to live.

Now.. 3.5 years later, I've lived here longer than any of my neighbors.

Yesterday my neighbor next door dropped in, he was interested in the firewood in my back yard. It's been there for years. I have a gas fireplace now so I don't ever use it.

Well I got to talking to the guy, he's my age and barely hanging onto his home.

now forgive me here.. because I'm stereotyping, but let me tell you after living in west GA for 4 years.. stereotypes exist for a reason.

This guy is your traditional.. well.. "redneck." He has lots of loud cars and ATVs and other toys like that.. he's the religious type.. as are my neighbors on the other side of me..

We got to talking and I actually really found myself more than anything.. afraid of this guy.. because I didn't want to drift into uncomfortable topics of conversation about women etc. which has already happened with my other neighbor. With my other neighbor I dodged it.

Anyway.. I hope this post makes sense to y'all. Long story short, this area isn't going to be tolerant.. I know it. I don't mind my house, and if I could move at all because of this economy it'd be very difficult so I want to avoid that.. but I don't feel safe around these people.. and they keep trying to get close to me and to make me part of their community.. something I'm very uncomfortable with.

What should I do? Should I take extreme measures and set my focus on trying to move to a neighborhood that's more progressive and accepting? (These people are even racist.. there's only 2 families in this neighborhood that aren't white and my neighbors accuse them of everything under the sun. It's ridiculous!) Or should I suck it up and deal with it? ... and if that's the case.. how do I do that?

I'm dating.. if I start having guys over they may not think anything of it but.. I just don't want to be in a situation where I am of sorts.. living among people who hate me enough that they might take actions.. even subtle ones.

last halloween someone spraypainted the side of my parents truck when they were visiting me.. so I know the people here aren't above vandalism.. if they knew I was gay they might be more motivated to do this kind of thing with more choice words and more than just cars..