Have you ever found that being around LGBT people who are happy and proud of who they are has helped you feel happier and more proud of who you are? It seems like something that could happen that being around other happy people could make you happier.
Basically, yes. I find positive people help me feel more positive too. And I've found that people have become more positive and open about their gender or sexuality identities by either hanging around me in RL or chatting to me online because I'm usually quite happy, affirming, validating, forgiving and encouraging, and am very open and upfront about my own situation. I think some folk respond well to another person being positive in their identity and/or being around someone who validates their identity and is accepting of pretty much everyone. However, and a big however, just because someone is positive and proud about their identity it doesn't mean they're going to be positive about yours. Many proud LGBT+ folk can be very down, or invalidating, or rude, or exclusionary when it comes to people who don't fit their paradigm. Being positive about your own identity isn't enough to make others proud - you must also be accepting, sympathetic and encouraging about other people's too.
I agree. I've found it very difficult to make gay friends, simply because I'm not "cool" enough or "dangerous" enough to fit in with many large groups of gay people that I've encountered. I've always sucked at trying to be one of the cool, hip kids, and now I seem to suck at being one of the cool, hip adults. I find it very difficult to be proud of myself as a gay man when I've been excluded and shunned by so many other gay men. I do quite well in one-to-one situations when I'm getting to know one person, but I don't do well with that herd mentality.
