What helped you realize that gay isn't bad?

[Caaake]

What was it that helped you realize that gay is not a bad thing? (EDIT: Not meaning when you realized you were gay and accepted it, I mean when you felt and decided 'it's okay for people to be gay.' )

For me, it was a graphic novel I read (manga actually) when I was a teenager about two cops who were both male and falling in love with each other.
FAKE by Sanami Matoh is what I read by the way.
I originally just wanted to look at it because the art looked nice, and didn't except to actually enjoy the story and characters.
As I read more and more I felt for the characters just as I would anyone else in their situations.
They were normal people.
Until then I was raised thinking being gay was somehow bad and a sin.
But, these characters didn't seem bad or crazy or anything like that.
They were just two guys that bonded in a deep way.
I even tried to spread the word that the people in this book were normal, trying to get people to read it and help open their hearts as mine was.

I'm not sure I'd connect the comic FAKE to how I realized I was bi, though.
I forget when that happened, just some time when I stopped resisting the fact that I was head over heels in love with my best female friend.
And to be honest, I'm wondering these days if I'm lesbian or will be lesbian and that this bi thing is a transition.
But, that's another story.

[LateBloomer]

I'm not sure.

I think I was a teenager (back in the '80s) watching a Phil Donahue talk show about "homosexuality" with my mother. I distinctly remember telling her, "What can be so bad about love in any form when there is so much hate in the world?"

mile:

[fenris]

I don´t think a minute in my life that being gay could be bad

[chillythoughts]

Im not sure to be honest.

[pellaz]

self destruction (internal homophobic) can be avoided by education and critical thinking

[Zet]

I've never been against homosexuality as generally I don't care that much what others were doing and what not.

I was more against me being gay then others, simply cause I don't want to go through all the shit some gay men can go through. But with time I grow more accepted of what I am and to go less self destructive due to it.

[East]

Judy Garland

May she rest in peace..........

[dfiant]

I can't pin point a moment in my life where I realized that being gay was natural because in my mind what I experienced and felt was natural to me.

What I do remember wondering is why other people thought it was wrong, bad and evil. Why would they go out in lynch mobs to parks known for homosexual meetings and beat the crap out of them..

[Nick9]

I don't think I ever thought it was a bad or unnatural thing. I guess I went from not knowing it was possible straight to ok, it is possible and perfectly normal. We never talked about it in my family, so maybe it was the friendly environment in our country (TV). I am not sure.

[avidcyclistMTB]

I never thought it was bad either. What really affirmed it though was actually falling in love with a man.