Straight Until Proven Gay

The gay dating world is a tricky one if not going through the traditional online or gay social group networks.  In a gay group, by definition, you are safe to assume another person is gay.  In an online setting, it is clearly obvious.  But, out there in the "real" world, one does not really know until you befriend somebody and become intimate enough to know this very personal information. For heterosexuals, the game is already defined. For the homosexual, most especially the homosexual who is not into a bar and hook-up scene, the game is much more lonely and isolating. The solutions to playing the game, then, would be to 

• Come out to more people, especially to those who have gay friends;
• Befriend both heterosexuals and homosexuals, and seek out deep friendships regardless of their orientation.

Therefore, to decrease my expectations and potential heartaches, I would be safe to assume that all guys are straight until proven gay.  If I have a crush on a man and I am not sure, I will just have to let the friendship develop and see what happens.  Regardless, I would gain a friend in either case, which is definitely positive.