On a recent ride, I found it somewhat amusing when a riding buddy shocked an employee of a local and very busy biker hangout. Basically, the employee replied to a buddy’s comment about it being a nice day. The employee said something to the effect, “and the pretty girls.” Well my (male) friend w/o even really thinking anything of it said, “and the pretty guys“. You could tell it was totally not the answer the employee was expecting! Now don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t ignorant or stupid, he was just surprised. He didn’t break stride or even turn around. It was a very subtle but obvious change in his movements that gave him away. It also cracked me the hell up! This leads me into my post today.
My assumption is that because we were motorcycle riders, he naturaly assumed we were straight. Of course, I get that it ties into Western society’s over-emphasis on male/fem characteristics, hobbies, etc. But that’s a way deeper well to dive into on some other day…
Anyway, it struck me as noteworthy because I’ve become so accustomed to my openness about being gay. I just so rarely think about it in a public forum anymore. I always just assume anyone who meets me knows I’m gay. I make no pretense about it how could they not know? [Insert joke here] It still surprises me when someone doesn’t pick up on it. ( On an unrelated side note, this begs the question about gays learning to pick up on said subtle clues more astutely than our straight counter-parts.)
Of course, I’d forgotten that perception can be a powerful thing. I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage, ‘perception is 9/10’s of reality.‘ Well, case and point. lol The human brain becomes hard-wired to expect certain actions, in this case behaviors. It will often (given time and/or more cues) pick up on subtle, out-of-the-norm differences, sometimes consciously, sometimes not. I’m sure given more time to observe us, the employee would have figured it out. 😉 Ironically, now that I think back on it, I can remember several rides where the same thing has occurred.
My buddy and I got a nice chuckle out it nonetheless. And we continued to cruise guys.
All the guys I ride with here in DC are heteros. Despite my regular ogling of cute guystanders, the boys still have no clue.
I could stand perfectly still, not say a word and people would say, "That's a gay guy." It must be the red ostrich cowboy boots. LOL
When I'm out on the bike I frequently find myself in some pretty remote parts of the state. My experience has been about 50/50, about half the time they are clueless. It seems to be the women who pick it most consistently, older men hardly ever get it (or maybe they do and that's why they ask about a girlfriend/pretty girl, could it be that is their way of inquiring?)