Well I finally came out in 2009, so how has my life changed since?
From a day to day perspective, not a whole lot has changed. I still put my pants on one leg at a time, work 5 days a week, eat, sleep, and cook. I do not make a point of coming out to everyone I meet, and really only come out when the topic of girlfriends come into play. Gay is a part of me, but gay is not who I am and I do not feel the need to make everyone know that I am gay. That does not mean I live in the closet, it just means that I do not shout it from mountaintops either.
Some of my neighbors know I am gay, others do not. Either way I really do not care, if they have a problem with it they can move. At work I am currently on a 10 person team, 4 of us are gay and one of my team mates has a lesbian daughter. Pride Fests, boyfriends, and gay political issues are a somewhat frequent topic during small talk. I am depressed a whole lot less than I used to be and will vocally and actively stand up for myself and others.
I have become a lot more involved in gay politics, actively challenging politicians on gay issues. I write letters and call my elected representatives and inform others of their views.
I still avoid gay clubs, but clubs in general have never been my scene. This has hurt my dating life, and I am still hunting for a long term boyfriend.
But most importantly when I am out somewhere and someone says a derogatory thing about gay people I speak up and challenge them. I know I am not going to change everyone’s mind, but every mind I can change is a step towards equality.