As a gay man identifying as such since I was 16, I have never even considered doing anything that might be construed as asserting domination or threatening or assaulting a female. I have been around strong, intelligent, confident women all of my life, including almost all of my bosses over the years.
I have known since I was a child that individuals who are POC, non-Christians, or LGBTQ have radically different life experiences than straight, Euro-descent, Christian males that hinder their full inclusion in society. Yet rarely in my life have I been told what it is like to be a female member of society as opposed to being male.
Maybe it is because I have been surrounded by so many self-assured women. Maybe because my experience of intimacy with females only spanned the period when I was 13 to 17 and coincided with even more intimacy with men. In fact, having that bisexual period as a teenager probably had an important impact. It certainly helped that I was never ashamed of being intimate with others regardless of sex.
I have always recognized when men treat women differently, but that's because I don't. And really the only thing I can do is to treat women with the same dignity and respect I treat every human being and avoid making distinctions based on sex identity. The world would be a much better place if we all did that. It's a matter of applying the Golden Rule consistently and equally.
I have both my parents to thank for raising me to ignore characteristics and attributes that make us different from one another. I am particularly grateful that my mother has been a model of independence, benevolence, and diligence.
My need to write and to find an audience for my work stems from a deeply held belief that what I have been taught and what I have experienced needs to be expressed and shared. That includes writing about women who exemplify the characteristics I have seen in women in my life. I hope I do them credit.
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