Everybody say LOVE š
Topic Tidbits
- What is IDAHOBIT? This Gay Times article will break it down for you.
- Taiwan Becomes First Asian Country to Legalize Gay Marriage
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Tag: lgbt
5 Married Years Later
Today is S and I’s fifth marriage anniversary. This question is beyond cliche to ask in a post like this, but, where did the time go? Five years isn’t a long time at all, and so far our history together has felt like a whirlwind and a lifetime all at once.
Let’s see, we started dating Summer of 2011, moved in together Summer of 2013, got engaged, bought a condo, got a puppy, got married in 2014, I completed my degree at Indiana University, we’ve both been on massive career journeys, and during all of this have had a lovely niece and two nephews join our family.
Life is going to life, and it did just that. We’ve faced our ups and downs and have managed to navigate darker days with the grace of a Swan Lake prima ballerina. Our relationship has been an easy one for the most part, yes, but that’s not to say we haven’t had our bumps in the road.
At times my content can slow down because I’ve been busy, sure, but it’s also because I may not feel like I have anything to share. I love seeing happy couples post on Instagram and in other corners of the internet, but I have to wonder, how many of them are actually happy? Are they posting all this lovey-dovey bullshit just for the gram to grab a like or two? I’m so not into that.
I love love, but love is hard. If what I’m seeing from happy couples online is their truth, then great! That’s amazing. I try to be honest with my readers and followers, and I connect more with those I follow who share this sentiment.
(Us on New Years Eve 2011, a few months into dating)
S and I have been married for five years, but come October, we will be together a total of eight years. I’ve written about what we’ve learned in our relationship a number of times on Gays in the Life, but one major lesson sticks out to us in this moment:
Honesty. You have to be honest with yourself, and with yourselves as a unit. If you’re not, you will fail.
I’ll leave all my lovers out there with this tip. Seriously, take this with you moving forward; it’ll change the game:
Check in with each other! Check in on each other’s personal goals, any issues you both may be working through, mental health, happiness, and darkness. Over the years we’ve learned not to take reactions or things said personally because you never know what someone is going through. Ā If you’re able to level with yourself in honesty, you’ll be able to help your relationship stay just as honest and strong.
Happy Anniversary, S! I love you so much, and thank you for being a constant source of strength and inspiration for me.Ā
XXOO,
Game Of Thrones: Where Is It Okay To Be Gay In Westeros? ā KitoDiaries
Planning a queer getaway to Westeros? Weāve got you covered. Okay, so a holiday to the beloved (and often dangerous) locales of Game of Thrones may not actually be possible, but if it were, we wondered: Where is LGBTQ-friendly, and where should you steer clear of? We used information from both the books andĀ theā¦
via Game Of Thrones: Where Is It Okay To Be Gay In Westeros? ā KitoDiaries
What’s Making Me Happy This Week?
Good morning, friends!
I’m writing this just before 8:30 am Eastern time, so excuse the exclamation. You’re probably thinking “turn down, dude, it’s way too early for that.” Forgive me, I’m just trying to will some energy into this post and today’s intentions.
In honor of one of my favorite NPR podcasts, Pop Culture Happy Hour, I wanted to start sharing what’s making me happy on a weekly basis. The daily grind can be extremely draining and make it hard to strive for excellence, so it’s important to focus on the little things; the simple bits of joy that keep anxiety and stress at bay.
It’s been a trying winter season and the seasonal depression that came along with it has been real. With that being said, what’s making me happy this week is being able to refocus. With the arrival of warmer, get-outside-and-take-the-dog-for-longer-walks weather, has come a much needed boost of energy. For the past few weeks I’ve been meeting workout goals and getting back to feeling good; inside and out.
Something I’ve discovered about myself is that I need alignment in my life. If I’m eating healthy, staying physically active, and taking moments to enjoy happiness, I feel so much better than I do while I’m getting caught up in what task I may or may not have time to get to today.
This isn’t to say I’m not getting work done and having a ball. Think of it as a daily refresh and remember: how you organize your life influences the kind of energy you keep around.
What’s making you happy this week? Let me know in the comments wherever you’re reading this.
J.
Start Your Engines! Drag Race Season 11 Fantasy League is here! ā Thanks for Coming!
Grab a pen, some glitter, and secure those wigs, queens! Who is your fantasy squad for RuPaulās Drag Race season 11? Hereās the TFC scoring rubric and all the shenanigooped deets: Activity Points Mini Challenge Winner 10 Main Challenge Winner 20 Bonus for Winner of Snatch Game 30 Queen is still on the Show 5Ā [ā¦]
via Start Your Engines! Drag Race Season 11 Fantasy League is here! ā Thanks for Coming!
Weekly Audit 1: What’re the Best Qualities You Bring to a Relationship?
The time has come to look in the mirror. What is it that makes you you? No relationship is the same, but thereās one thing I know to be true: That in order to have a successful relationship, you must first know yourself. The beautiful part about people and the relationships we experience, is that weāre constantly evolving; flourishing as individuals and elevating our relationships.
Thereās probably not one person that has entered a relationship completely knowing themselves. And if they have? Iād dare to ask how many relationships theyād been in previously or what they learned from their last relationship. The point is that part of our evolution as couples is learning as we go; learning from mistakes and applying the changes as we work through it together.
Welcome to your first weekly audit with Gays in the Life! Now itās time to focus on you for a second as I give you your first assignment. Here goesā¦
- Iād like you to sit down with your husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend, and discuss the following topic: What are the best qualities you have to bring to a relationship?
If you happen to be single at the moment, feel free to gather some friends and discuss this amongst each other. I want us all to have fun with this. Please please please let me know how your first audit goes in the post comments or on the Facebook page. Iām always so delighted when I hear from you all.
Ready, go!
You didnāt think I was cutting out without sharing did you? Some of the best qualities I believe I have to offer in a relationship are:
Wisdom – I havenāt had as hard a life as most people in the world, but Iāve been through enough to be grateful for so much. My experience in life as a young, black, gay man has afforded me the ability to approach any bump in the relationship road with an open mind and clarity. Iāve had my fair share of questionable guys and have made terrible decisions in the past, but Iāve grown from each lesson. The ability to process issues and communicate clearly with S helps us thrive. S was not a communicator when we met, so Iām proud to say Iāve helped him morph in that way and Iāve learned much more about myself in the process.
Spice – Iām a spicy personality and thereās no getting around that. I present as a cool, zen queen that isnāt bothered by much. In relationships though, I tend to be the outspoken one and will keep you guessing. Bland has never been part of my brand, so donāt be surprised if one day my look suddenly changes, I want to go dancing, or you hear me schooling someone for something stupid theyāve just said. I love my couch and pajamas, but I love a good party and a bit of excitement too. Did I mention Iām contagious?
Strength – I stand firmly by those I love and think of myself as the foundation of the majority of my relationships. Whether itās tough love, providing a sense of calm and support, or lifting you up when youāre down, people know they can count on me. In my marriage, Iām able to keep our foundation strong because I can go to my husband and check in; letting him know Iām there regardless of what. Itās the little things that have the biggest impact, people.
I hope you all enjoy your first assignment. Please feel free to share the assignments with friends and family, and let me know how it goes!
— J
Coming Next Week! Weekly Audits.
Hey there,
How often do you check in with your partner and yourself? When is the last time you both sat down and asked yourselves “are we happy?” A couple that’s cohesively existing together, under one roof and in a good place with their relationship would say they are happy.
Now don’t go looking for problems in every nook and cranny of your relationships! All I’m saying is that it’s important to talk about your relationship with the person you call your other half. Couples fear asking the hard questions because they’d have to be honest with themselves. It’s amazing how grown people freeze in the face truth.
“What makes you most happy about our relationship (or marriage)?”
“Are you okay? Honestly, how have you been?”
“What’s something we need to work on as a couple?”
These conversations don’t have to be hard at all. Put on some music to set the vibe, mix a couple cocktails, and chat about your relationship. This person is supposed to be your best friend, you know… And this should be fun! Think of it as free weekly therapy sessions.
If you’re a couple in a more turbulent relationship or going through a tough time, I suggest you face the issue(s) head on. Trying to dodge and avoid what needs to be faced will only cause your mental health harm. Get everything on the table, hash it out, and make a plan for improvement.
Starting next week, Gays in the Life will post weekly audits. These audits will consist of questions and thought provoking activities – to be done with your partners – that will inspire conversation about your relationships with one another.
Answering the questions together, listening and processing every word shared, will encourage openness. These audits only work if you’re honest and open with yourself, your partner, and your relationship.
I can’t wait to get this going!
Cheers,
Pizza for Two
S and I didnāt put much thought into Valentineās Day this year. In the past, weāve gone out and stayed in, so knowing which direction plans for this day can go each year is always a wildcard.
āDo you think our Valentineās Day plans are boring?ā He asks just nervous enough, but still hungry for my response. āNot really. I like our plans. Weāve both had so much going on at work, so a chill night in sounds perfect to me.ā His tone is relaxed now. āI just havenāt really thought about it.ā Nor had I.
The truth is we had talked about our plans for Valentineās Day. A couple weeks back we decided that weād have a quiet night in – cooking low-carb pizza and having some champagne. We try not to drink during the week, so the fact that this day happened to fall on a Wednesday made it a treat in itself.
We settled on a simple bacon and cheese pizza. The crust consisted of cream cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, almond flour, and we topped it with a low-sugar pizza sauce. We typically do pepperoni and sausage pizza, but we forgot to put pepperoni on the grocery list. Whoops! Not that this should be considered creative at all, but we decided on bacon when we realized our mistake. Thereās always bacon around here though.
I tend to be a big cheeseball, so you could argue that I would expect a surge in romance on this day. Maybe itās because weāve been together for going on seven years, maybe itās because weāre both thirty-one years old now, but this day is hardly considered romantic or important to us. Iāve written about this previously – check out that post here – but what about the other 364 days of the year?! If youāre going to be cute, warm and fuzzy, just surprise me with your heart.
We had some good pizza, crispy champagne, and each otherā¦ weāre full.
*Reblog* One Night Dance
Original post here.
I embrace the dark, pulsing, cloud of people that is the dance floor at the bar. Dancing is something I have to be in the mood for, and tonight I would turn up the heat.Ā Scorpio seasonās influence is heavy in the air as I begin to wind up ā serving up my best Beyonce ā and feel the rhythm of the sounds around me. Ā Itās not long before my friends and I are in the zone, and wondering eyes find their attention on our group. Ā I turn around and make instant eye contact with the buzzed and beefy stranger who would become my dance partner for the better part of the following hour. Not moving an inch out of my personal circumference, I watch him approach; his interest growing with every step he takes. I donāt miss a beat as he enters my bubble. āHiā he speaks over the music, and syncs his movements to mine. āGood eveningā I respond as I let his palm meet my chest. Together we move like one of the oceanāsĀ traveling waves, and communicate only with our eyes. Ā His buzzed head, thick frame, and fitted jeans move in ways I appreciate greatly. The only thing that would send this moment completely over the top would be if S were standing in the corner watching. āYouāre good at thisā he breathes into my ear, before turning around to offer his backside, and run his hands up and down my thigh. āWell, I did get you to come over hereā¦ and thanks.ā I allow him to enjoy me for a little while longer before I find his eyes again. āItās past my bedtime, sir. Thanks for an amazing dance.ā āWould you like company?ā he offers with eyes both timid and curious. āNot tonight, but thanks.ā Using one hand, I pull his belt buckle loose, flash a smile, and exit the bar.
Go. Vote.
It’s so important for all of us to get out there and vote today. I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again… As a black gay male, I’m terrified! The best I can do is be present for my future and for all the progress our country has seen over recent years.
Losing my right to be married to my husband… continued unjust treatment to black and brown people… I can’t begin to imagine what would happen if for some reason he-who-must-not-be-named were to take office. I’m most certainly not down for being forced back into any closets or back into slavery. Maybe that’s too much, but really, is it?
At least race relations is a real conversation this country is FINALLY having. It’ll get way worse before it gets better. I’m doing my best to remain hopeful and positive. I hope Ā you are too.
Have a lovely day, everyone! And happy voting.
