Been following a friends blog for a while now and I'm really enjoying her 30 days of LGBT blog series. So I am stealing ^_^ I'll never manage 30 consecutive days so I'll just try to complete it in my own time.

Kudos to her, check out her blog: http://doyouwannaknowhowigotmyscars.wordpress.com/

Day 1 – Your sexual orientation or gender identity. Be creative in your definition.

Day 2 – Did you have any experiences as a child that might have foreshadowed your sexuality?

Day 3 – How old were you when you knew? What was that like for you?

Day 4 – The first person you came out to and that story

Day 5 – Thoughts regarding inner turmoil about your sexuality; Did you have any? Did it escalate to self-injury or suicidal thoughts?

Day 6 – Did you face any problems regarding religion?

Day 7 – How your parents took it or how you think they might take it

Day 8 – What do you think the closet or being closeted means to you?

Day 9 – What do you think about LGBT Pride? Is it helpful or hurtful? Encouraged or unnecessary?

Day 10 – What does marriage mean to you?

Day 11 – Your favorite LGBT book (or one you’d like to read)

Day 12 – Your favorite LGBT movie (or one you’d like to see)

Day 13 – Your favorite LGBT role model/celebrity

Day 14 – Your favorite LGBT song or artist

Day 15 – Your favorite LGBT quote

Day 16 – A picture from your first LGBT relationship or of your first LGBT crush

Day 17 – Your first experience with an LGBT organization or event (Day of Silence, Pride, etc)

Day 18 – Something about the LGBTQ community you don’t understand or have a question about

Day 19 – Butch or Femme?

Day 20 – Maureen or Joanne? (Or your favorite LGBTQ show or queer-positive show)

Day 21 – Political LGBT issue that is closest to you or affects you most

Day 22 – An LGBT image that makes you smile

Day 23 – An LGBT image that makes you cry or makes you angry

Day 24 – The stupidest argument/comment you’ve heard about gay people or an LGBT issue

Day 25 – The LGBT slur you hate most or if you’ve taken back a slur and used it as a definition, ie queer or fag

Day 26 – Your favorite gay joke (we all need to laugh at ourselves)

Day 27 – Your favorite LGBT blog/tumblr/site

Day 28 – Write a letter to someone. It can be a coming out letter or a letter regarding how you hate their homophobia or whatnot. You don’t have to send it.

Day 29 – SHOUT SOMETHING! IT CAN BE HAPPY AND ABOUT PRIDE OR ABOUT WHY YOU HATE HOMOPHOBIA!

Day 30 – Anything LGBT you’d like to end this on :]

Fuck yeah lesbians!

This really resonates with me, especially in my chosen career of youth work. I often feel I'm too 'gay-centric' and feel guilty about that. But if I don't speak out for the people like me then how is that encouraging to the young people I'll work with? Love yourself and all your '-centrics'. Sometimes it's okay to be selfish.

Ahh relationships

I haven't exactly been a hermit (or indeed a slut) for my adult life. More a serial relationshipist. The problem with this is I've been exposed to pretty much every type of crazy there is going and I can't pretend it hasn't affected me. Mostly these effects have been positive, wait a while before getting serious, don't dive in and make her friends yours, don't date somebody to support yourself emotionally, all the things we learn as we find ourselves in the dating world.

Recently however, I can't deny the negative effects my many relationships have had on me. I've had a busy and stressful few months, new college course, a ton of volunteering work, family issues and a new relationship. This relationship is by far the healthiest I've ever been in. But I find myself under stress and conditioned by the way I was treated before. And all of this is coming out on my poor (over worked and also stressed) girlfriend, making things strained between us and causing fights left right and centre.

The perfect partner won't solve all our problems, won't avoid all the mistakes others have made, won't turn us into perfect partners. But they'll make it worth all the heartache and arguing that every relationship will encounter at some point or another.