There are usually two different kinds of Web sites in gay life today

There are usually two different kinds of Web sites in gay life today : one a "vanilla" site, built to appeal to your family and straight friends, containing whatever will bring smiles to your family's face. You may want to include a bio, such as where you grew up, maybe accompanied by your baby pictures and/or what you looked like at various stages of your life. Since the Internet is so visual, place many other photos of you and your family on your Web site, and if you've already come out, photos of your gay friends.

If you have a lover, you might consider doing a joint Web page with him. You might want to have links on your site to other family members, gay friends, and to gay service organizations. If you have a good sense of design, you might consider dressing it up with elaborate graphics. But, remember, your vanilla site should be squeaky-clean.

The other Web site, by contrast, should run from being risqué to raunchy as hell no holds barred. Naked pictures of you, some with a hard-on, pictures of you having sex, naked pictures of other men all are acceptable, if you're willing to be that exhibitionist (see Exhibitionism and Voyeurism). You may decide to include a video hookup, known as a Webcam, focused on you while you're naked, jacking off or doing anything else you want others to see in "real time".

The Webcam can be an integral part of your Web page. An alternative is to use "streaming videos," which are like decal-sized little films, placed in an archive, and these can also be used on the vanilla Web page.

Computer nerds often introduce animation on their sex sites to simulate fucking and blow jobs. The links you choose for this site should be to other sex sites, but choose free ones, please, unless you're advertising your own or someone else's on-line business.

Assuming you have a profile on one or more gay sex sites, be sure you link your sex Web site to them. If you're proud of the goods, let people see what you've got. Both your vanilla and sex sites can be fun and creative. As computer technology advances, the sophistication of Web-page design is sure to develop.

One caution, however: Be careful that you do not mix up your vanilla and sex e-mail and Web-page addresses. Your Thanksgiving visit home might end up being memorable in ways you hadn't planned for if your family and neighbors have inadvertently witnessed you being an energetic bottom on their home computer screens.

Trevor R. is author at Gay Romania's official weblog, DarkQ.net.