Glad I found this place. I wish this was around when i was younger, hell i wished same sex was acceptable when i was growing up. Hope to find some answers and guidance on how to admit my desires to my wife that i want to go beyond our brief mmf relations so many years ago. It's all i think about, do I or don't I .
Yknot.....Hello and a big LGBTQIA+ welcome to Empty Closets! I can remember the first post that I made on EC. I was desperate for help and I got the help that night that I so needed. I hope that we can help you in the same way that I received help. The most important thing to remember about Empty Closets is that we do care about you! We're very glad that you found us here on EC and hope that we can answer questions, give you support and provide a place to vent (as long as it's not violent! ) when that becomes necessary! This is a safe community of loving, caring and very supportive people and we will do our best to help you blend into the community. *****There are 18 different sub-forums here that you can check out, join in the conversations or start your own thread/conversation. When I first joined Empty Closets I was in need of a lot of support and encouragement and I found it here…EC is a safe place. I hope that you'll find good things here too! Folks here will talk to you and share...you don't have to be afraid of asking questions...we're glad to have you! Empty Closets is all about making connections and giving LGBTQ folks a voice when they otherwise don't have one in their day-to-day lives. *****In particular you may want to check out the forums that are titled "LGBT Later in Life” and "Sexual Orientation", there are people there who may have dealt with some of the same kind of issues that could be challenging you. Some info on how to navigate EC: When you have made at least 10 posts on various threads you will be able to post messages on a member's Profile Page. Just click on a member's Avatar Picture and then click on "Profile Page" in the dialogue box that pops up. You'll then be on their Profile Page and there will be a box that says: "Write Something" When you have been on EC for a few weeks and have made at least 50 posts on various forums, you can apply for Full Membership. A Full Member can send Private Messages (PM) to other Full Members and share personal contact info. Right now you can only send a PM to a Staff Member as that is always possible. Here is a quote from the Full Membership information forum: *****To be eligible you must be a member of Empty Closets for a minimum of two weeks, and have a minimum of 50 posts. These posts must be across numerous forums (Fun & Games does not contribute to post count), and consistently posted across a minimum of two weeks. You wouldn't be eligible, for example, if you registered, had no activity for two weeks, and then returned to post 50 times on your 14th day of membership. *****Well, as I said, we're very glad you found us! If you have any questions at all, you can always send me a Private Message. …..David
Yknot.....There are a lot of us who have found ourselves in a situation very similar to yours. We went ahead and married like society wanted us to do and then found out that as the years went by it became harder and harder to ignore how we actually felt...who we really are. I'm one of those and there are many like us here. I think you'll find quite a few new friends and hopefully learn something helpful from the other bisexual guys to help you! .....David
Yknot, I don't claim to be some relationship guru, and honestly, I'm pretty new to this myself. I would just like to share how my situation went. I'm one of those that came out really late in life. I dated nothing but women my whole life, and suppressed my true self to the breaking point. I was with my last girlfriend for 8 years. I decided to break it off when she started pressuring me about marriage. I have never been married, and never had kids. But I did love and care for her very much. We still hung out, went out to eat and to movies together, and still enjoyed each others company. After we had been separated for about 5 months, I decided to tell her that I am gay, that's why I broke it off, and I truly did not believe that it was fair to her, to continue our relationship. She became very, very bitter. This brought up a million different questions for her. Did I ever truly love her; did I ever cheat on her with guys; how could I get it up if I was interested in guys; how long have I known...etc. Needless to say, she didn't trust me anymore, and no matter how much I tried to explain how confusing it was for me too, it was all irrelevant. I've tried to stay in touch, but she's always busy and has to go. So now I've lost her as a friend. I truly wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide. Unfortunately, we can't control how others feel about it, but your happiness and mental health is just as important.
Welcome to EC. I too felt I had to lead the straight life, get married and have children. I am envious of the teens of today who have access to places like this, role models and a general (though not perfect) acceptance in society. You'll be very welcome here!
