I came out in high school, and was pushed back in the closet so fast by my family and the school board, that apparently an even smaller fraction than I thought were aware of my... situation.

I had thought a quarter to a third of my high school had known. That maybe 10% - 20% of the town knew.

Well. Well. Well well well. I'm finding out over the past year or so that those numbers are much closer to maybe a dozen kids in the whole school knew (and most of those were those that were in on it from middle school on) and maybe 1 out of every 250 - 300 people in town knew.

What does all this have to do with anything?

I decided awhile back that I was going to be open about everything about me around there. I was threatened with death if I attended the 10th class reunion for my graduating class. I figured there'd be a horrible outcry if I went public, but who cares about those jerks, anyway? I know, right?

My classmates and folks from that town have been surprisingly supportive, and accepting. Even people I was sure detested me beyond any reason.

So... today I asked one of the people who recently discovered my posts and coming out letters from over the past few years a question:

"Why is everyone so suddenly accepting and open-minded? Not that I'm complaining, but... it doesn't seem to make sense!"

Her response?

"You just make more sense as a girl. You were really kinda scary as a boy, and nobody ever really knew if you were gonna explode someday. And it's obvious to everyone and anyone that you're way happier being who you are now."

*boggle*