"I just told everyone here, my honest reason, and half of you are laughing, making fun of me, shaking your heads in disbelief at my naivete and stupidity and ready to hit the keyboard and type 'Grow the fuck up'."

Hey Raffey! I'm really surprised you're braced for this reaction! I don't think anybody here, and most people in general, would have this reaction to what you wrote. And, in fact, I think the vast majority of people can completely relate to it. I certainly can.

I also don't really think it's a leap to state one's motivations. I've stated them here on more than one occasion, and in my writing pretty much all the time.

I want to live in a world where we aren't divided by meaningless things like skin colour or sexuality or gender. I want us to be able to work together and communicate honestly and generously when we disagree, and I want us to celebrate our differences instead of hating and fearing each other over them.

I want that so much that I'm willing to face criticism and abuse and attacks on my character. I'm willing to put myself out there and spend hours of my free time trying to understand different perspectives. And I want this because if humanity started pulling in the same direction, for our common benefit, it takes my breath away to imagine how wonderful the world could be.