Do you consider yourself lgbT?

[Pat]

Some say they don't belong to any group, because they don't label themselves. Fine, but society will still assign some type of classification to you. [...] We should all support the LGBTQ community, because, whether you want to admit it or not, we are all part of that community.

There is total wisdom in that. You have to separate the agnsty navel-gazing over your own, personal identity and the classification that the society around you will lump you into. No sense trying to explain you just like the feel of the clothes but are not "one of them" when you're in the public spotlight. Nobody's going to care.

Nazi Germany captured and executed the "Queers" before and during WWII. Sure, it was because of fear and ignorance, but this is the exact same mentality that is being embraced by some in today's society

I've recently spent a lot of time reading about Germany between the wars and it's scary/interesting to look at the parallels -- the society was pretty open and greatly valued music, art and creativity. Germany as a whole was becoming very accepting to the people we would now call LGBT. Then a demagogue arose based on saber-rattling conservatives who felt the country was being taken away from them and given to people they defined as "other." We say it can't happen here; it can't happen now, but it's pretty scary. And it's important to note, it's not just happening in the US just as it wasn't happening in just Germany at the time. As we said a few decades ago -- think globally, act locally.

Sorry. I don't usually go to the dark place, but we should mindful that while we play in this sandbox (forum) there's a real world out there.