I run into this type of young conservative gay man all the time. What's most astonishing as they deride the queer movement is how homophobic they are. To a man, they seem to tout their own traditional masculinity, their "respectability:" Look at me, I have a monogamous boyfriend/husband, a master's degree, and a nice corporate job to pay the suburban mortgage with.

I'm normal! You queers, especially you icky trans people, are screwing everything up for me!

Can you say assimilationist, boys and girls? I knew you could. Lol.

I don't have any problem with queer people who want to live the white American dream with a picket fence and whatever else. If that's what they want, more power to them. But when they start acting like that's what everybody else should want, I have a problem with them — especially when they behave as if the rights of other queer people are less important than their own.

If they want to retire from the struggle for equality, they should at least have the decency to be quiet and let others keep working.

Oh, and Ben? Ain't a damn thing wrong with being trans, baby. Ain't a damn thing wrong with a gay man being effeminate, for that matter.