No Pride

As I've said before, there are difficulties with being openly gay and living in Alabama. The list is rather long and would possibly make you question what the current year is. It's 2018... Last year, after striking out on dating apps for months, I decided to quit while I was ahead. Being alone sucks but, it beats losing sleep over all the ridiculous obstacles one must overcome to secure a date. Besides all of my own red flags, which, I admittedly have, there seems to be a full examination I've either never cared to partake in or was oblivious to its very existence. "What are you looking for?" ... A date? People still go on dates, right? "No, what are you looking for in a relationship?" Really, just a date. We can talk about relationship goals on the third date. Marriage goals in a year or two, okay, 6 months at the least. Can I just hold your hand and talk about our interests first? "I'd like to get to know you better....

My time with dating apps was relatively short. At one point or another, I was a member of Grindr, GROWLr, Scruff, and Surge, all at the same time. My experience was not what I had hoped for at all. I heard it was almost too easy to find someone to have sex with. If I couldn't find someone to have sex with on one of these apps, I was doing something wrong. I didn't even go out on one date. Defeated, deflated, and sent slithering down into Mom's basement, again. I had a few interested persons but, they were either already in a relationship or someone I was not interested in sexually. I ran into some old friends but, didn't make any new ones. Yet again, showcasing how living outside more prominent LGBTQ communities has an effect. I admit I have "red flags" and being single is largely my fault but, I can't help wonder what my life would be like if I attended High School or even college in this area and found someone who was interested in a relation...