I was about five and didn’t know much about romance or sex so my mom was pretty careful about describing any relationship things with me. (Yes, even heterosexual things.) 

So she said that gay people dress up in fun, colorful costumes and dance and have a lot of fun at this parade. (Without telling me what gay meant.)

For a few years I thought gay people were some exotic tribe of people who wore colorful feathers and lots of glitter and jewelry all the time and danced for us normal people in parades to entertain us.

Then I met a real life lesbian and was kind of disappointed.