As I've already said, when possible come out... but, you just won't get much sympathy from me, as if you insist on staying put in the bible belt, then you have no right to whine to me about your situation.

At the end of the day you have to ask yourself: is my nice job worth living a lie for at least 8 hours a day for the next 40 years (I'm imagining you're 25 and will retire at 65)?

If the answer is "Yes", more power to you, but don't come crying to me, you've made your bed...

(I myself came from a VERY Catholic and VERY big Mexican family. Don't be a dumbass and assume my coming out was easy, especially as I came out to the whole gang... but I made that decision because in the long run it was the right choice and because I only have one life to live, and did not want to live that life in a 24/7 lie).

So, I hope you're comfortable in your self-imposed prison. I'm sad for you, as I remember how the closet felt like a coffin, and I don't like how you've given up already.

(I came out, moved to a liberal state (California), and got myself a nice high-paying white collar IT job myself, "despite" being gay.)

You do have a choice, but if you choose the closet, then suck it up and shut up.

(I'd rather you take steps to get you away from the bible belt and out of the closet, as I think it's obscene in this day and age to be still in the closet, but just like alcoholics, you have to want to help yourself...)

I think this is the first time I can honestly use the online term LOL unironically. Dude/dudette, get a sense of humor you dolt! That last line is called humor...

To be honest though, I don't give a shit what you (or any person) thinks of campness (in gay or straight men!) Yes, there are some gay men who do camp it up, and if they do that's their choice, and there are also straight camp men. I would rather have to stand next to a camp man than a smoker (insert smile here for humor-impared anonymous coward.)

At the end of the day, who gives a sh*t? Campness is not contagious, it doesn't ruin your lungs like second-hand smoke... I think the reason some straight people (usually men) have problems with campness is because it makes them uncomfortable with their own same-sex feelings.

And sorry but you're wrong. Homophobia is not a natural response, it's a learned one. Believe it or not there are straight people who are NOT homophobic, even against camp gay men.

Homophobia is an irrational fear of gays, and this fear is usually "indoctrinated" into a person via religion, via societal homophobia, or fear of the unknown. Thus why I said that being out is good: straight people who have never met a gay person before and who meet me realize that gay men are not a) after their ass, b) after their children, nor c) monsters.

Anonymous coward, next time you're going to post asinine comments like "If the gays can tone down the camp thing, then I am sure the straights can be a bit more tolerant", then at least have the (proverbial) balls to post under your own name.

To prove my geek credentials, here is a quote from an X-men movie that applies to gays and why camp gays shouldn't have to "tone down" themselves:

NightCrawler: "Excuse me. They say you can imitate anybody. Even their voice."

Mystique: (echoing NightCrawler's voice) "Even their voice."

NightCrawler: "Then why not stay in disguise all the time? You know, look like everyone else?"

Mystique: "Because we shouldn't have to."

LOL the best load of bullshit I've read in ages!

(Or, to put in "auditory Gaydar" for the weenie Rick17JJ: "Girlfriend, that ith the funnieth load of boolshit I have theen in ageth!")

Next thing you know you'll be talking about flouncing abilities... in which case I come up short, as I'm a 226lb rugby-playing gay mexican-american and I don't flounce, I tackle and punch... ...and I wonder how Rick17JJ deals with the tons of metrosexual heterosexual males who can be more camp than my fellow gay men??

Or could it be a case of Rick17JJ calling the kettle black?

For gay Slashdot readers like me, this article is a good reminder why (situation allowing!) it's best to be out of the closet and upfront with everyone. I came out to my folks when I was 16, and have always been upfront about my gayness, and I've reaped the benefits of this:

1. no having to lie/watch everything I say
2. no worries about been "found out" if I use some gay-oriented website (such as gaydar.co.uk)
3. no blackmail is possible (I remember that it was an excuse used by government agencies in order to deny hiring gays, as they could allegedly be blackmailed about their sexuality).
4. being an out gay man, straight people who get to know me learn that gay is good/they tend to get rid of their preconceptions about gays.
5. I can use Facebook/Flickr and not give a damn about who can see who my friends/groups are.

Basically, as an out gay man I can read the article, ponder on my Facebook account, and can calmly think "So f*ck*ng what??"

This is because being out of the closet defangs homophobes in many ways..

Of course I understand why some gay/lesbian/bi folk would be in the closet (live in a small town, close-minded friends/family/employers, work for the US military etc.), but if you're in the closet and reading this, realize that in the long run it's so much nicer to "thine own self be true", and I've been so much happier since I came out all those years ago.

I'm here, I'm queer, I'm a geek my dear! ;-)