Hey! This is a really fun topic, hope it’s OK for me to give the perspective of someone who (at the moment :P) identifies as a straight, cis man.
I joined beehaw because it felt like a super nice and safe space, not just for queer people, but for anyone looking for a kinder internet. I’ve always felt a strong connection though to queer people and we often get along really well. I think it has to do with the fact that, even though I still identify as a straight cis man, I don’t really fit into the stereotype well. I hate macho culture, I am often very passionate and emotional, don’t like “mens” talk etc. I also have some mental issues which make me “different”, and in that sense I feel like we share a similar feeling of “not fitting in”, be it for different reasons. Accepting yourself and others for who you really are seems like a central idea in a queer-friendly space, and this is stuff that can help anyone as everybody has something about them that is different or goes against the grain.
I do feel that I am more open to my own possible queerness. I still identify as a man and am attracted to women, but there are moments where I can really appreciate a beautiful man too. Where I would have brushed over something like that in previous years, now I quite like it when I notice it and enjoy the experience. Even though I haven’t yet actually felt physical attraction, I like that there is a part of me that is able to enjoy this too.
Hey! This is a really fun topic, hope it’s OK for me to give the perspective of someone who (at the moment :P) identifies as a straight, cis man.
I joined beehaw because it felt like a super nice and safe space, not just for queer people, but for anyone looking for a kinder internet. I’ve always felt a strong connection though to queer people and we often get along really well. I think it has to do with the fact that, even though I still identify as a straight cis man, I don’t really fit into the stereotype well. I hate macho culture, I am often very passionate and emotional, don’t like “mens” talk etc. I also have some mental issues which make me “different”, and in that sense I feel like we share a similar feeling of “not fitting in”, be it for different reasons. Accepting yourself and others for who you really are seems like a central idea in a queer-friendly space, and this is stuff that can help anyone as everybody has something about them that is different or goes against the grain.
I do feel that I am more open to my own possible queerness. I still identify as a man and am attracted to women, but there are moments where I can really appreciate a beautiful man too. Where I would have brushed over something like that in previous years, now I quite like it when I notice it and enjoy the experience. Even though I haven’t yet actually felt physical attraction, I like that there is a part of me that is able to enjoy this too.