Josh Feldman Had Never Seen a Gay, Deaf Character on TV, So He Ma One Himself

Contents:

• WH 'THIS CLOSE,' JOSH FELDMAN PUTS DEAF, GAY LIV IN THE SPOTLIGHT
• GAY AF MAN SHARED ‘HURTFUL’ GRDR MSAG TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT POT ABOUT ABLEISM
• WHAT DATG IS LIKE AS A GAY DEAF MANSPOILER: IT'S {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY CONNOR MCLARENAUGT 14, 2017/11:36 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}CONNOR MCLAREN/CHRISTIAN HOPKS PHOTOGRAPHYBY CONNOR MCLARENAUGT 14, 2017 / 11:36 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"WHAT DATG IS LIKE AS A GAY DEAF MAN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-08-14T15:36:31.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-08-14T15:36:31.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CONNOR MCLAREN","KEYWORDS":"OPN","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I'D BE LYG IF I SAID THAT GROWG UP AF WASN'T A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT BOTHERED ME THAT I HAD TO PAY MORE ATTENTN CLASS TO UNRSTAND MY TEACHERS AND FELT EXCLUD GROUP OUTGS BEE I MISSED OUT ON MUCH OF THE NVERSATN. BUT WHAT REALLY IRKED ME WAS HAVG TO AL WH IGNORANCE OM PEOPLE WHO ASSUMED THAT AF PEOPLE HAD OTHER TELLECTUAL OR EMOTNAL CHALLENG. THAT WE ULDN'T DRIVE, SPEAK CLEARLY, OR EVEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I TOOK FORT, THOUGH, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE INTIFIED AS PART OF ONE MORY GROUP OR ANOTHER, AND THAT I WASN'T ALONE. IT WASN'T UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL THAT I TLY BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE I'D BEEN GIVEN A RAW AL LIFE: DURG MY HMAN YEAR, I VELOPED MY FIRST CSH AND REALIZED THAT I WASN'T JT AF BUT GAY, AS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THAT REALIZATN CERTALY PLITED MATTERS. THERE ARE SIARI BETWEEN BEG AF AND BEG QUEER THAT POUND MY SENSE OF ALIENATN. FOR EXAMPLE, MOST LGBT PEOPLE HAVE HETEROSEXUAL PARENTS—LIKEWISE, ONLY 5 TO 10% OF AF PEOPLE HAVE AF PARENTS. MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE BUT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ACCEPT THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE, BUT TWO FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENC BETWEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MOREOVER, AF AND QUEER DIVIDUALS BOTH HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVG TO “E OUT” REPEATEDLY. I NOT ONLY HAD TO THK ABOUT WHEN AND HOW TO TELL PEOPLE I WAS AF, BUT ALSO WHEN TO DISCLOSE MY SEXUAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FORTUNATELY, MY EXPERIENC LLEGE AND AFTERWARD ALLOWED ME TO GA NFINCE BOTH OF THE ASPECTS OF MY LIFE. MANY OF MY IENDS NOW ARE AF AND GAY, AND I REALIZE THERE ARE JT AS MANY ADVANTAG AS DISADVANTAG TO THIS DUAL INTY. THE MON STGGLE OF FACG DISCRIMATN OM MANY DIRECTNS HAS FOSTERED A TIGHT-KN SENSE OF MARARIE AMONG AF QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“QUEER-AF CULTURE VALU GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF DIVERGENT IAS AND PEOPLE," MY IEND ROBB DOOLG EXPLAS. "WE'RE THE ‘RABOW SHEEP OF THE FAY.' WE HAVE TWO REASONS STEAD OF JT ONE TO STICK TOGETHER.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THERE ARE DOWNSIS, TOO—MOST NOTICEABLY HOW SMALL THE MUNY IS. “GOSSIP SPREADS MORE EASILY PARED TO HOW WOULD THE AF OR GAY MUNI ALONE—SO THERE IS MORE PRSURE TO PROTECT YOUR REPUTATN,” SAYS ANOTHER IEND, NOE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOE ADMS WE'RE KD OF LIMED, ROMANCE-WISE: "MY DATG POOL NSISTS OF THE AF GAY MEN MY AREA AND HEARG MEN WHO HAPPEN TO BE FLUENT AMERIN SIGN LANGUAGE. PEOPLE WHO ARE STRAIGHT OR HEARG HAVE SIGNIFINTLY MORE OPTNS.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE QUTN THAT UP OFTEN: IS HARR TO BE A GAY MAN  THE AF MUNY OR AF THE GAY MUNY?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TO BE HONT, I FEEL MORE FORTABLE BEG GAY THE AF MUNY. BY AND LARGE, AF PEOPLE ARE VERY ACCEPTG OF MY SEXUAL ORIENTATN. BUT BEG AF THE QUEER MUNY HAS, AT TIM, CREATED A SENSE OF ISOLATN AND LOW SELF-TEEM. GAY MEN N BE UNACCEPTG OF THOSE WHO DON'T F A CERTA MOLD: IF YOU'RE NOT HANDSOME, F AND WHE—AND ABLE—YOU TEND TO GET {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEG A AF GAY MAN HAS ALSO BEEN DIFFICULT JT TERMS OF MUNITN AND CULTURAL UNRSTANDG. MOST HEARG GAY GUYS N'T SIGN AND KNOW NOTHG ABOUT AF CULTURE. THE AF MUNY VALU—EVEN REQUIR—EXPRSIVENS HAND MOVEMENTS TO MUNITE. IN NTRAST, I'VE NOTICED THAT G YOUR HANDS TO MUNITE IS LOOKED DOWN UPON BY SOME GAY MEN, BEE S SO STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WH FEMY. PERHAPS DUE TO TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA, THEY'RE LS FORTABLE WH GUYS WHO ARE EXPRSIVE THIS WAY. SO 'S HARR FOR ME TO BE MY TE SELF WH OTHER GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDLS, BEG BOTH AF AND GAY HAS SHAPED MY INTY FOR THE BETTER. IF I WERE STRAIGHT AND HEARG, I WOULDN'T HAVE AS MUCH OF AN IMPULSE TO HELP OTHERS, OR BE AS TOLERANT OR CULTURALLY SENSIVE. I WOULDN'T HAVE CROSSED PATHS WH SO MANY AMAZG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INSTEAD OF SEEG THE TWO PARTS OF MY INTY AS NEGATIV, I VIEW THEM AS QUALI THAT MAKE ME UNIQUE. I AM BLSED TO BE PART OF SUCH A VIBRANT, TIGHT-KN MUNY AND WOULDN'T TRA FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND AS FOR MY FUTURE PARTNER? I'M MORE THAN WILLG TO BI MY TIME AND WA FOR SOMEONE—HEARG OR AF—WHO ACCEPTS ALL THE PARTS OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

WH 'THIS CLOSE,' JOSH FELDMAN PUTS DEAF, GAY LIV IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In the early hours of June 28th, 1969, police raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay club Greenwich Village of New York Cy. Wh 6 months, the movement was anized to a full-fledged polil mpaign that aimed to promote rights for gays and lbians.

One year later, bisexual activist Brenda Howard, otherwise known as “The Mother of Pri, ” anized the first Gay Pri Week and the Christopher Street Liberatn Day para. Jt a few s ago, LGBTQ+ (Lbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer) muni uld not live as openly as they do today whout fear of harassment.

Be sure to support one another by beg rpectful by beg anti-racist, anti-transphobic, anti-homophobic, and anti-bullyg.

GAY AF MAN SHARED ‘HURTFUL’ GRDR MSAG TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT POT ABOUT ABLEISM

Wh 6 months, the movement was anized to a full-fledged polil mpaign that aimed to promote rights for gay and lbian people.

One year later, bisexual activist Brenda Howard, otherwise known as “The Mother of Pri, ” anized the first Gay Pri Week and the Christopher Street Liberatn Day para. Durg this month, we also regnize the historic impacts that lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr dividuals have ma lolly, natnally, and ternatnally. Josh Feldman wanted to create a seri he’d like to watch as a gay, af man.

) Wh "This Close, " Josh Feldman, who plays the character Michael, aimed to create a seri he’d want to watch as a gay, af man. As is the se for many straight women and gay men, the pair’s bond is tense and, at tim, pennt. “Whether we’re af or hearg, gay or straight, man or woman or somewhere between, we are nnected, ” he told HuffPost last month.

WHAT DATG IS LIKE AS A GAY DEAF MANSPOILER: IT'S {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY CONNOR MCLARENAUGT 14, 2017/11:36 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}CONNOR MCLAREN/CHRISTIAN HOPKS PHOTOGRAPHYBY CONNOR MCLARENAUGT 14, 2017 / 11:36 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"WHAT DATG IS LIKE AS A GAY DEAF MAN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-08-14T15:36:31.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-08-14T15:36:31.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CONNOR MCLAREN","KEYWORDS":"OPN","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I'D BE LYG IF I SAID THAT GROWG UP AF WASN'T A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT BOTHERED ME THAT I HAD TO PAY MORE ATTENTN CLASS TO UNRSTAND MY TEACHERS AND FELT EXCLUD GROUP OUTGS BEE I MISSED OUT ON MUCH OF THE NVERSATN. BUT WHAT REALLY IRKED ME WAS HAVG TO AL WH IGNORANCE OM PEOPLE WHO ASSUMED THAT AF PEOPLE HAD OTHER TELLECTUAL OR EMOTNAL CHALLENG. THAT WE ULDN'T DRIVE, SPEAK CLEARLY, OR EVEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I TOOK FORT, THOUGH, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE INTIFIED AS PART OF ONE MORY GROUP OR ANOTHER, AND THAT I WASN'T ALONE. IT WASN'T UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL THAT I TLY BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE I'D BEEN GIVEN A RAW AL LIFE: DURG MY HMAN YEAR, I VELOPED MY FIRST CSH AND REALIZED THAT I WASN'T JT AF BUT GAY, AS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THAT REALIZATN CERTALY PLITED MATTERS. THERE ARE SIARI BETWEEN BEG AF AND BEG QUEER THAT POUND MY SENSE OF ALIENATN. FOR EXAMPLE, MOST LGBT PEOPLE HAVE HETEROSEXUAL PARENTS—LIKEWISE, ONLY 5 TO 10% OF AF PEOPLE HAVE AF PARENTS. MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE BUT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ACCEPT THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE, BUT TWO FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENC BETWEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MOREOVER, AF AND QUEER DIVIDUALS BOTH HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVG TO “E OUT” REPEATEDLY. I NOT ONLY HAD TO THK ABOUT WHEN AND HOW TO TELL PEOPLE I WAS AF, BUT ALSO WHEN TO DISCLOSE MY SEXUAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FORTUNATELY, MY EXPERIENC LLEGE AND AFTERWARD ALLOWED ME TO GA NFINCE BOTH OF THE ASPECTS OF MY LIFE. MANY OF MY IENDS NOW ARE AF AND GAY, AND I REALIZE THERE ARE JT AS MANY ADVANTAG AS DISADVANTAG TO THIS DUAL INTY. THE MON STGGLE OF FACG DISCRIMATN OM MANY DIRECTNS HAS FOSTERED A TIGHT-KN SENSE OF MARARIE AMONG AF QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“QUEER-AF CULTURE VALU GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF DIVERGENT IAS AND PEOPLE," MY IEND ROBB DOOLG EXPLAS. "WE'RE THE ‘RABOW SHEEP OF THE FAY.' WE HAVE TWO REASONS STEAD OF JT ONE TO STICK TOGETHER.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THERE ARE DOWNSIS, TOO—MOST NOTICEABLY HOW SMALL THE MUNY IS. “GOSSIP SPREADS MORE EASILY PARED TO HOW WOULD THE AF OR GAY MUNI ALONE—SO THERE IS MORE PRSURE TO PROTECT YOUR REPUTATN,” SAYS ANOTHER IEND, NOE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOE ADMS WE'RE KD OF LIMED, ROMANCE-WISE: "MY DATG POOL NSISTS OF THE AF GAY MEN MY AREA AND HEARG MEN WHO HAPPEN TO BE FLUENT AMERIN SIGN LANGUAGE. PEOPLE WHO ARE STRAIGHT OR HEARG HAVE SIGNIFINTLY MORE OPTNS.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE QUTN THAT UP OFTEN: IS HARR TO BE A GAY MAN  THE AF MUNY OR AF THE GAY MUNY?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TO BE HONT, I FEEL MORE FORTABLE BEG GAY THE AF MUNY. BY AND LARGE, AF PEOPLE ARE VERY ACCEPTG OF MY SEXUAL ORIENTATN. BUT BEG AF THE QUEER MUNY HAS, AT TIM, CREATED A SENSE OF ISOLATN AND LOW SELF-TEEM. GAY MEN N BE UNACCEPTG OF THOSE WHO DON'T F A CERTA MOLD: IF YOU'RE NOT HANDSOME, F AND WHE—AND ABLE—YOU TEND TO GET {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEG A AF GAY MAN HAS ALSO BEEN DIFFICULT JT TERMS OF MUNITN AND CULTURAL UNRSTANDG. MOST HEARG GAY GUYS N'T SIGN AND KNOW NOTHG ABOUT AF CULTURE. THE AF MUNY VALU—EVEN REQUIR—EXPRSIVENS HAND MOVEMENTS TO MUNITE. IN NTRAST, I'VE NOTICED THAT G YOUR HANDS TO MUNITE IS LOOKED DOWN UPON BY SOME GAY MEN, BEE S SO STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WH FEMY. PERHAPS DUE TO TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA, THEY'RE LS FORTABLE WH GUYS WHO ARE EXPRSIVE THIS WAY. SO 'S HARR FOR ME TO BE MY TE SELF WH OTHER GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDLS, BEG BOTH AF AND GAY HAS SHAPED MY INTY FOR THE BETTER. IF I WERE STRAIGHT AND HEARG, I WOULDN'T HAVE AS MUCH OF AN IMPULSE TO HELP OTHERS, OR BE AS TOLERANT OR CULTURALLY SENSIVE. I WOULDN'T HAVE CROSSED PATHS WH SO MANY AMAZG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INSTEAD OF SEEG THE TWO PARTS OF MY INTY AS NEGATIV, I VIEW THEM AS QUALI THAT MAKE ME UNIQUE. I AM BLSED TO BE PART OF SUCH A VIBRANT, TIGHT-KN MUNY AND WOULDN'T TRA FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND AS FOR MY FUTURE PARTNER? I'M MORE THAN WILLG TO BI MY TIME AND WA FOR SOMEONE—HEARG OR AF—WHO ACCEPTS ALL THE PARTS OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

While many viewers see Feldman as playg himself on the seri, the Maryland native said he and Michael have “zero percent” mon asi om beg af and gay.