Don't Drink the Kool-Aid!

No cute pictures or snarky witticisms from yours truly tonight (well, maybe a few).
I have to get something off my chest that is weighing heavily on me. Today was Armstrong Day at school, and all the various clubs had booths hocking homemade baked goods (store-bought homemade goods, boo hiss), drinks, kisses (loose sororities), guillotine decapitation (French club), etc. 100s of students and faculty enjoying a lovely afternoon celebrating 75 years of our esteemed university. And then there was the LGBT (maybe a few more letters I just don't know about) booth, the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgendered club, and no one was there. Oh, there were students manning the booth with their rainbow Kool-Aid and Jello shots just waiting for someone to walk up and take some, but no one did. And neither did I. I mean, who doesn't like Kool-Aid and Jello shots? Tell me if the Tri-Delts had Jello shots at their booth if the line wouldn't be down the sidewalk? No one went up to the booth because no one wanted anyone else to think they were gay, or L, B, or T either. That's what went through my mind, if I'm honest. If I walked up to get something to drink at the gay booth, people would think I was queer.
And I hate myself for feeling that way. Some of my best friends are gay. I'm educated. I'm tolerant and open minded. I support gay marriage. Sex and the City was one of my favorite shows. Hell, I remember Backstreet in Atlanta. I was on a college campus in 2010 for God's sake, and I was scared someone would think I was gay. People I don't even know. And people who don't know me. Being in college at this point in my life is different than the first go-round. Class is just somewhere I have to go in the course of my day, and I don't socialize and have friends on campus like the younger whipper-snappers.
I was a coward, and I can't help but feel like I insulted those students who were proudly working in their booth. And I regretfully insulted my gay friends.