"For many gay people, the years they spent (attempting) to live a 'straight' life in the straight world were not pretty ones."

The Straight Years Project.

This is the best picture, seen large. Great expression (on both faces.)

And here's the Awkward Years Project.

What I like about these 2 projects is that they could give all sorts of people an idea of something they can do when confronted with any current photograph of themselves that they don't like. Visualize yourself in the future holding that photograph and laughing, because you like the way you look in the now that is the future. What do you look like? Go there. Get there knowing that you will be happy there, that there is a you waiting in the future and empathizing with the poor you that's here now.