I haven't shared this experience on here before (at least I don't think I have). As many of you have gathered from my avatar (and from my big fat mouth that won't shut up), I am gay. I do have an interesting gay experience right outside of the Worldwide BOrg Headquarters of the Watchtower Corp from about 17 years ago.
I'd just started graduate school -- had just finished my first year. Was in NYC for a conference. Summertime. Was with a good (and very straight) friend of mine. We were hanging out and seeing the city together, and decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Eventually we wind up right outside of 25 Columbia Heights. I told him about the JWs and the WTBTS as we crossed. Of course, you can't miss the BOrg, it's so there! When get outside of BOrg Headquarters, he says "Hold my hand!!!" and without waiting actually took my hand.
He was super cute so I wasn't going to say no, even though we were right at the epicenter of my entire world and upbringing from 0-18 years of age. It was around that time that the floodgates opened, and tons of Bethelites were in the streets, everywhere. All dressed. We looked casual by comparison. But very clean cut.
The whole thing should have freaked me out. It totally didn't -- at least not yet. I was like, "Ok. Yeah! Let's do this." So we walked proudly hand in hand, two guys, very early 20s.
I knew we'd get looks. And we got a LOT of really awful looks. But what I wasn't expecting was the names we were called (the worst you can imagine) and the language used. It was clear they were Bethelites. I felt pretty sure they wouldn't attack but it got frightening. I started to actually wonder if we were in danger. They were very, very, very angry. Their attitude was like -- we own this place. This is ours. You're in our territory. You don't belong here. But my straight friend and I were in public. We weren't in any WT buildings. We were on public streets in public spaces, though in the area of the BOrg.
That's my gay experience outside of 25 Columbia Heights. I'm sure some will chime in saying we shouldn't have done that. But for the others, I hope you enjoyed my gay Watchtower experience. And if anyone remembers us from that time period, say hi!