You have to accept yourself before you can be accepted by others.
As in honest self examination and recognition, becoming comfortable within your skin.
Appreciating that somehow your best qualities are often balanced by other qualities you don't like, or even self destructive.
Through serious recognition we gain a degree of control, or at least moderation and channeling.
Becoming aware of the ups and downs, ebbs and flows - not taking the moment too seriously,
remaining aware and observant and always learning a little more about one's world and one self.
Knowing this too shall pass, soon enough when a bummer, too soon when having a great time. So it goes.
As for the gay thing, they really do have a struggle, but it's more to do with the world's reactions to them.
but, through those struggles I've found many of the most self aware and thoughtful talented friends I've made over the years are gay.
Going through that fire and surviving with your head on straight, requires some genuine inner strength,
that nice straight kids like me never need to muster and it radiate from the person.
Beyond that, it is what it is. :kiss: (excuse me while I kiss the sky :coolsmile: )
The way I see it, it seems like being LGBT is just needless suffering that people have to go through. I don't see it as strength when the suffering you endure is unnecessary.
Then there's that whole bit about whether the self is real or not.
What's the alternative to suffering? Are you just going to bang your head? Whether the self is real or not is something we can't help you with. You'll need a psychiatrist to help you with that.