The LIKEME® Organization

Added May 12, 2011

When I was young, I thought my same-sex attraction was simply wanting to have the body of the other guys I saw. Later, I realized who I was and wanted to hide. And later still, I came to accept me and love who I chose, regardless of social expectation. That is a brave moment and no less brave with the passage of time or political evolution in America. I could die, being what others wanted. Or I could live being honest about me.

As a bisexual man, I'm often asked if my wife knows. Of course she does. And we're sexually exclusive with each other. Being gay or bisexual doesn't make me any less capable of true commitment than being straight. I was committed to the men in my life. And now that I'm married, I'm equally committed to my woman. My hope is that someday, we'll all be free to marry, regardless of who.

Be honest with yourself and with your family and friends. We all need love and we all need support. Don't do it alone.

I didn't realize I was bisexual until high school. I came out to all my friends (who were all pretty supportive, some didn't like it, but that was their problem), but I couldn't tell my family. They are devoted Baptists who have really strong beliefs on the subject. I did end up telling my mom and she was pretty accepting. I slowly started telling everyone on my dad's side, starting with my cousins and some of my less judgmental uncles. I told my little sister and she was shocked; she joked around saying i had a crush on her, which really hurt. I thought if I hid who I was I could avoid that. One of my dad's girlfriends was set on getting the communication between my dad and I improved. So she helped me tell my dad. I live with my grandparents, my aunt and her husband but I still haven't told them because I fear if they found out I would be on the street and I have no other home to go to. I have support, but not as much as I would like. Nowadays I keep it to myself mostly because I'm scared that I'm going to be treated differently.

I live in Holland and I have known for a long time that I like boys and girls; only no one knows except for my best friends. My mom and dad are great and I know if I ever tell my dad that he would be fine with it but my mom is another story, so I have decided that I won’t tell them unless I have a girlfriend.

I’m dating a guy now and he is very nice. He is the kind of guy you only see in good movies :-) When the time is right I will tell him because he has the right to know. At least I think he should know.

There is another thing that I want to speak out about and that is that the Like Me Organization is doing a very good job.

I am a 50+ married bisexual who hid in the closet ashamed of who I was until four years ago. One day I woke up with an epiphany I finally accepted that being attracted to both sexes was the person God made me to be. From that moment on I accepted who I was and the lifetime secret that nobody must know that I had carried with me since 4th grade was finally let go. Today I am proud of who I am. I am very fortunate that my friends,family and coworkers have been very supportive of who I am. Living life authentically as a role model to others has resulted in a personal happiness I never imagined possible. I hope others will find the same joy I have but a lot sooner in their life. This is why we all need to come out and show those to follow that its OK to be me.