“When did you first know you were gay?” my shrink asked me the other day.

I told him high school.

Of course, we all knew earlier, didn’t we? But we didn’t have the vocabulary to define ourselves until we got older.

I knew at 5 years old that I was not like the other girls in my kindergarten class, and I didn’t want to be. But when did I actually begin exhibiting behavior that could be seen categorically as gay? When did my true colors start to show?

I wondered if you could see the proof in photos. Was the evidence of my future “dykeness” staring back at me from the pages of my family photo album?

You be the judge. Here are some samples my mom sent me at 6 months, 6 years and 9 years of age. Judging by these photos, I should have told my shrink that I knew at age 9.

So when did you know? Or when did your family start to suspect?

Dust off those old albums and do some detective work of your own. When you’ve found that “destined-to-be-gay” photo(s), pull that picture out and scan and send a copy to the Gay & Lesbian Times for an upcoming “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” feature. Think of it as coming out of the closet years earlier than you really did, and share that “wonder years” version of yourself spent in Topeka or Boise with us – your new family and friends in San Diego. The best photo will also receive special recognition.

If the GLT receives enough community participation, photos will be printed along with any descriptions or personal stories.

So if you were a young gay boy photographed clutching your beloved My Little Pony or a Levi’s-wearing dyke like me, we want to see.

Please send photos, descriptions and contact information to editor@uptownpub.com or by mail to P.O. Box 34624, San Diego, CA 92163.