From the age of about 12, me & my mates and wider peers,
were influenced [a certain minority here might shout brainwashed]
by all kinds of post 'summer of love' pop culture;
that open mindedness to personal sexual liberation and freedom and experimentation
was the cool superior way of being - the new positive future
for our young generation of students / musicians / artists / actors....

From 70s Glam Rock to 80s New Romantics, we grew through teens to early 20s
to accept bisexuality as a cool viable option;
maybe even an expectation or obligation to conform to this newly establishing norm and try it at least one time..

Though I never actually did...
I went to plenty of gigs and parties, even gay pubs, so there was no lack of opportunity...???

I knew enough gay men wanted me.. quite flattering to my young ego I guess..

I just didn't fancy blokes.. not even the pretty ones in make up.

One boozy night though, a guy sat down next to me on a sofa in the student union,
and suddenly put his arm round my shoulders and began licking my ear..
I froze in discomfort...... told him I wasn't up for it, and made a dash for the bar.

By the time I reached 25 I just finally accepted that I had no sexual interest in blokes,
and despite my progressive ideological mindset, it was nothing I should feel guilty about.

However my younger sibling, after suicide attempts,
and long spell in residential mental healthcare, did come out to the family as gay.

Odd really, We both grew up in the same council estate,
went to the same infant & primary schools.. ???

Yet I was the one who went to grammar school and 6th form college in the big town,
and hung around an arty, druggy, bohemian scene,
acted in youth theatre and played in punk bands, and had outrageous gay mates..

While sibling went to the local council estate comprehensive, ended up in conventional 9 - 5 office and shop jobs..
and did normal 'straight' evening & weekend pastimes like piano lessons and dog obedience training and shows...

..and.. I was the one stern old uncles had suspicions and concerns about....

Life just seems to confound expectations.... 😕