I feel like it's really hard now for younger guys.

Coming out in the late 90's, I left home, moved to a city and started life. Rent was cheap in the inner city and I lived in an area with many gay people.

I remember worrying if someone saw me enter a gay club, but I could mostly live my life pretty free. I never exactly loved the 'gay community' but I had friends.

I lived in ignorant bliss, I had internet access from around '96 but it wasn't something that was connected all the time.

Now everything seems visible, every opinion, every event, good or bad. There seems to be more pressure to look a certain way or fit a category.

The only that isn't different was hookup culture, it was always there, just in another form. I could walk down to the club any night of the week and pick up if I wanted to. The conversations I read here are exactly the same as the ones we had 25 years ago.

I feel like while moved moved forward we've thrust a generation into the spot light. We're not at the point were being gay is as universally accepted but we're expecting people to just be instantly comfortable with themselves. I had the luxury of time and better economic conditions.

I wouldn't swap my time for now, and I absolutely don't have any negative opinions to the younger generation. Everyone's struggles are different.