is self introspection normal when trying to figure out if you knew you were glbt?

Question

i'm a 28 yr old lesbian who has been out of the closet for 4 yrs. i keep looking back on my life, trying to figure out if there were things i should've noticed early on, that would've made me aware of my orientation earlier than age 24. i was born and raised in alabama, still living here. could my southern baptist upbringing have had anything to do w/me not coming to terms w/my sexuality sooner?

Answer 1

We all try to justify our feelings, particularly when they are not the norm for the rest of the world--whether we were Southern Baptist or not. Your efforts would have been employed even if you were born in Massachussets or California. Alabama and the Baptists are not to blame for this line of thinking. Even if you were an atheist from Chicago, you would know that you are different from the 95-97 percent of the world that isn't GLBT. Even if you were an artistic realist in a school for abstract modernists you would want to discover why you had leanings to that preference though you were taught or trained otherwise.

We all try to find benchmarks to help us connect the dots in our lives. Some are good, some are meaningless, and some are simply convenient.

Answer 2

Girl, I feel your pain. I'm a Georgia girl, raised Southern Baptist as well. And I think that it's a huge stumbling block to personal acceptance. But don't waste you're time trying to dig out that thread of "should I have known sooner?". You know now, and maybe you feel a little behind, but what's it matter? You found where you belong, and that's what matters. The past is the past, you can't change it, you just have to live for tomorrow. Good luck.

Answer 3

i'm sure it had something to do with it. it was one of the reasons why i stayed in as long as i did. when you think about it why did we wait soo long. i'm happier now that i don't have to hide it anymore...........