LGBTQ+

Hey, just saw this response and wanted to reach out to you as a fellow bi guy whose been through the trenches for near half a century. You're not bad at finding friends, and what you're going through is really common for us, especially bi men, who are generally viewed more negatively than bi women in most spaces.

You're not at fault here, and it's possible that you're helping your friend through his bigotry. I've actually seen this happen with some redneck friends from high school when one came out as gay - after 30 years, they all now vote Dem and would literally shoot anyone trying to hurt him. The fact he's still talking to you indicates that he likes and cares about you enough not to shun you.

But I get it, hearing his bigotry hurts you, and you don't want to continue to go through it. And you want to protect yourself from building connections with people who will hurt you in the same way.

The healthiest way I've found to deal with it is to present as a straight ally and not discuss my specific sexuality unless asked, which is kind of like living in the closet with the door open. By presenting as a straight ally, it attracts people into my friend circle with whom I already know are LGBTQ+ leaning, giving me a higher probability of acceptance when and if I do decide to disclose my sexuality. It also allows me to both avoid discrimination while giving me the chance to observe what people are really thinking, because many people only reveal their prejudice when they think the targets of their disgust aren't within earshot.

It's not an ideal solution, but it's a tactically safe one. I hope it helps. Good luck, take care of yourself and don't beat yourself up for other people's bigotry.