Why it's hard to be a guy who wants to make friends without
   someone calling you gay.

   (By the way, these rules are *not true* at all - _don't_ believe
   them when you hear other people saying them. But there are a lot
   of stupid stupid ideas floating around that are *wrong* - and
   these are some - tell me if you're heard them before, or if you
   know more stupid _rulez_ that you hear):

   1) If you are a guy who wants to be friends with other guys,
   *you're gay - you should be looking for a girlfriend instead of
   hanging out with guys all the time*. Bzzzt WRONG - you just want
   to make friends.

   2) If you are a guy who wants to be friends with girls, *you're
   gay - you should be looking for a girlfriend instead of
   gossiping with the girls*. Bzzzt WRONG - you just like the
   company of girls.

   3) If you're a guy who wants to be left alone by everybody:
   *you're gay - you should be looking for a girlfriend instead of
   spending so much time alone*. Bzzzt WRONG - you like your own
   company best and people are annoying to you.

   4) If you're a guy that dates lots of girls, *you're gay - you
   should settle down with a single girlfriend. Obviously you
   haven't found the perfect woman, because you're really looking
   for a man* (I've heard this one more times when hearing people
   badmouth other people who are not in the room than I can count
   and the *bad logic* really blows my mind on this one). Bzzzt
   WRONG: You like dating.

   5) If you have hobbies, are creative, artistic, musical, *you're
   gay. You should get a girlfriend. It's gay to be creative.''
   Bzzzt *VERY WRONG* - you are creative - one of the most amazing
   things anybody can be. Don't you *dare* let anybody stop you
   from creating something new in the world. They're stupid -
   forget them.

   6) If you have a girlfriend for a long time: ''You're gay
   because you won't marry her.'' Bzzzt WRONG and probably one of
   the stupidest ones I've heard.

   7) If you're a nice guy: ''You're gay''. Bzzzt WRONG - No,
   you're just nice. Thank goodness you're here on this planet: we
   need more nice people.l

   8) If you're a bully and a jerk, ''You're gay because you only
   bully people you like and if you are bullying guys, you like
   guys and therefore you're gay. If you bully girls, you're gay
   because you hate women.'' Bzzzt WRONG. I don't know why people
   bully, honestly. Any bullies out there can tell me 'cause I'd
   like to know.

   What makes this even harder, is that the word ''gay'' also
   commonly means, ''Stupid'' - so when someone says to a young
   person, ''Stop acting so gay'' - it can set up a slow chain
   reaction of confusion that is completely pointless and
   unnecessary.

   In short, no matter *what* you do in life, there will always be
   some idiot saying, ''You're gay.'' Now, whether being gay is
   right or wrong or neither is up to you to decide - I don't care
   *what* someone is myself, as long as you're a nice person.

   Can anyone add anything 2 this list? Or have you had an
   experience like that? -Ken