h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I tell it to my American friends all the time

You have American friends?! Oh, how I pity you ...

They're very nice. One is one of the most handsome blokes I've ever met

Hmmm ... is he gay? Can I meet him?

Nope, he's straight and rather religious too

Darn it! Ah well - you saw my gaydar malfunctioning there, which brings us very nicely back onto topic!

I knew hw was straight instantly - my gaydar told me he was gay

My gaydar usually works fine enough. Allthough some wishful thinking sometimes causes a malfunction, but yeah...

I remember when I was sixteen and still all doubtful about the whole situation, a guy in the subway came on to me. That was weird, but at the same time the fact that I had triggered somebody else's gaydar kind of reasured me that I was right about my feelings.

Funnily enough, outside of a gay venue, no stranger has ever come on to me. Perhaps it's because (a) I don't seem particularly gay on the outside, (b) my gaydar sort of jams anyone else's or (c) I don't tend to be near many gay people.

There was one time this summer, sitting on a platform in Annecy, France, and there was this drop-dead gorgeous guy walking around with his shirt off and off course my gaydar triggered. I was carrying a 65 litre back pack which made be look muscular and broad rather than fat and he came up and sat right next to me (The platform was empty) and we chatted. For once my gaydar was right!

I don't look very gay either, so that doesn't do the trick. As a matter of fact, good question, what DOES trigger a gay-dar? Sometimes it's just obvious, but sometimes, well... You can guess somebody is gay without a really clear sign... weird...

Oh, By the way, mikeo, I *could* think of a fourth option for not getting hit on in public, but I'm gonna be nice and not say it out loud (Just teasing you, no offence :-p)

No-one's yet guessed I'm gay, I always have to tell people. I don't even register on most people's gaydar most of thhe time

With me it's more like... no straight people recognise me as gay, but a lot of them, when I tell them, say that they didn't suspect it, but now they know it, they say there's something about me that makes more sense, now they know it.

Hm, very weird post, hope it's clear...

I get what you mean but I don't even get that. With me it's usually a complete shock to the people I'm telling

Never been a bad kind of shock, I hope...

Same here - although I've heard people say (after I've told them) that I do indeed act like a gay guy. Well, duh - they would say that when they actually *know*!

Oh, and Mikael, I know what that fourth reason could be and all I'll say is !

No, once most people regained consciousness they were cool about it

I went through 4years at college, re took first year as I changed courses, before finding out that girls I liked and who liked me wouldn't do or say anything because they thought I was gay, and ditto with guys, but they thought I was straight.

I did get a waiter, a really cute waiter, in an Italian restaurant flirt with me once, I would have reciprocated, but I was with my fience and her family at the time. ooh that's an idea, now that I'm single I could go and see if he still works there.

Wow, that's really bad luck, I just get girls coming on to me. I think you should go and find the Italian waiter

I don't even get the girls .... well, actually, one did before now, but that was a few years ago!