[CherylNYC]

I'm as out as I could possibly be. It's easy for me because I'm a freelance artist in NYC. I belong to a Union of artists with a high proportion of gay men, but not that many lesbians for some reason. If I can't be out I don't know who could be. My picture is in the paper fairly regularly after the Pride Parade, (they love to print pics of the women on motorcycles), so I would be out even if I never said a word.

I work with a rotating cast of coworkers who I may work with for months at a time, and then I may work with the same crew again for another several month stint, or I may not work with the same artists again for years. Because we're artists the environment is usually pretty open, and no one seems to feel the need to hold back about their lives. If it's been awhile we'll want to catch up with each other. I hear about my co-workers children, house projects, etc. They hear about my motorcycles, girlfriends (when I have them), and any other not painfully private details. My coworkers were unbelievably kind and supportive when I lost my partner, and again when I lost my girlfriend. Everyone just poured out their good will towards me.

Previous to working in my wonderful union full of artists, I worked in the stagehand's union as a carpenter/stagehand. The environment couldn't have been worse for a woman, much less a lesbian. I was very, very out anyway. Did I get harassed? You bet. Did I lose work? I'm sure of it. I was pretty cranky about being out no matter what the repercussions, and I have a smart aggressive mouth. I think it would have been even worse for me if those big ole bigoted men weren't perhaps a little bit apprehensive about facing my angry mouth. I'm SO glad that part of my life is long behind me.