Psychiatrist comes out after 40 years

I knew I was gay as a small child, officially came out at 16, and would consider myself as having never been in. But I know it’s difficult for a lot of people, and coming out later in life has its own struggles (as opposed to, say, coming out in high school in a small Indiana city, circa 1976). From ABC News: Growing up in the Iowa farm belt, Dr. Loren Olson always thought of himself as “heterosexual, with a little quirk.” He wondered why he had to work so hard at masculinity and attributed his feelings of being a “man-imposter” to the death of his father in a tractor accident when he was 3. Olson went on to have a satisfying 18-year marriage and two daughters but, inside, he always knew something wasn’t quite right. He describes “always editing my behavior and thoughts.” But long after many men acknowledge their sexual orientation, he came out after the age of 40. In his new book, “Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight,” Olson, now 68 and semi-retired psychiatrist, examines the lives of closeted gay men, many of whom have sex with other men but deny they are homosexual. “These men lead hidden lives and that’s a very lonely place to be,” he said. “They feel like they are one secret away from losing everything they love.” Olson describes it as “a kind of sexual purgatory,” and many turn to drugs and alcohol for solace. Continue reading]]>