So, How Gay is It?

VERY!

Part of my training week had me on the road with a field officer. He was probably in his 50's, easy to talk with and knows his job well. About an hour into our shift, he starts talking about how many gay people are in the company.

Oh yes, I'd noticed them coming in..

He tells me how his best friends there are two women who had been a couple at one time, about the IT guy hired by the company. The IT guy has crazy face piercings and mad hair in addition to being gay.. and we marvelled that the company didn't give a rat's. They hired him because he knows his job.

He's the one who tells me they advertise positions in the pink papers.

I wondered why he was telling me all this. Perhaps he thought to save me shock later? OMG, gays everywhere!?? LOL..

We spoke a little bit about kids and I mentioned mine. He asked if my husband came to the UK with me or was he a Brit. I said that I don't have the husband anymore, we went our separate ways back in the US some time ago and I moved here to be with my girlfriend. He didn't stutter, didn't bat an eye. He asked what she did and how long we've been together!

A few days later, the other new guy who started at my branch the same day as me...yeah, he's gay too.

Fast forward one week and I'm observing in another branch. The woman I'm sat with LOOKS gay and mentions a female room mate. She then did the same thing, 'Was it love that brought you to the UK?'

Yep, I said. We couldn't find a way to get my partner into the US, so I came here to be with her.

Her mouth drops open and she whispers, I'm gay too. (LOL... I didn't say yeah I could tell.)

It's crazy, isn't it? What I think you'll find most interesting is that folks are absolutely STUNNED when I tell them how unequal things are for us in the US. Our nation has plenty of press for being the land of the free and hooowaah, equality. But everyone I've spoken with have been been taken aback by the differences between my country and theirs.