Maybe they’re just not your people so to speak, it really depends. And as cynical as it sounds, sometimes not giving a fuck about side eyes is the best way to stop them from bothering you
I know that people read me as different, but I don’t let it influence my behavior much. It’s not my job to accommodate for their misguided feelings or to let them drive me out by othering, because I don’t need to force myself to hang out with people who can’t get over themselves and appreciate me as a person after I’ve given them the opportunity. The more I did it, the easier it became
But to clarify, I’m not terribly open about being gay with people who aren’t my friends or friends of friends and I’m stealth as a trans woman with all but a few select people. Even if they have guesses or suspicions, it’s treated as rude to show them here, which I utilize as much as I need to be comfortable, but I do realize that I’m very privileged and none of this is universal