Trae Crowder

The thing that made it different is that like, so I was raised by a single father and my dad had only one sibling, a younger brother, my uncle Tim and my uncle Tim is openly gay and has been since, you know, I was born. So, uh, and this was, you know, I'm growing up, I'm a kid in the nineties in the rural South. So there's like, I mean, just rampant homophobia, you know? And, uh,

And I always loved Uncle Tim and was always just very opposed to that. And part of that also was that I did not grow up in the church at all. So those two things definitely made me sort of stand out. And also I was very... Combative is not the right word, but I was very open with how I felt about that stuff and my disagreements. And a lot of people were...

And I always loved Uncle Tim and was always just very opposed to that. And part of that also was that I did not grow up in the church at all. So those two things definitely made me sort of stand out. And also I was very... Combative is not the right word, but I was very open with how I felt about that stuff and my disagreements. And a lot of people were...

And I always loved Uncle Tim and was always just very opposed to that. And part of that also was that I did not grow up in the church at all. So those two things definitely made me sort of stand out. And also I was very... Combative is not the right word, but I was very open with how I felt about that stuff and my disagreements. And a lot of people were...

A lot of times the people in places like that who are on the other side or on the left or whatever, they just – they, like, never speak up and I don't blame them. It's like you don't want to be the one that ruins Thanksgiving dinner or whatever or just gets yelled – gets ganged up on.

A lot of times the people in places like that who are on the other side or on the left or whatever, they just – they, like, never speak up and I don't blame them. It's like you don't want to be the one that ruins Thanksgiving dinner or whatever or just gets yelled – gets ganged up on.

A lot of times the people in places like that who are on the other side or on the left or whatever, they just – they, like, never speak up and I don't blame them. It's like you don't want to be the one that ruins Thanksgiving dinner or whatever or just gets yelled – gets ganged up on.

So I get it, but I never had that problem when I was growing up. And what I've always chalked that up to is the other thing that was going on with me as a kid was that, like – I was the smart kid in my school, which I realize now looking back is like being the straightest guy to share a concert. It's not really that impressive, but I didn't know that. I had no frame of reference.

So I get it, but I never had that problem when I was growing up. And what I've always chalked that up to is the other thing that was going on with me as a kid was that, like – I was the smart kid in my school, which I realize now looking back is like being the straightest guy to share a concert. It's not really that impressive, but I didn't know that. I had no frame of reference.

So I get it, but I never had that problem when I was growing up. And what I've always chalked that up to is the other thing that was going on with me as a kid was that, like – I was the smart kid in my school, which I realize now looking back is like being the straightest guy to share a concert. It's not really that impressive, but I didn't know that. I had no frame of reference.

So at the time, as a child and as a teenager, I literally left that town. I left high school genuinely believing that I was goodwill hunting, like a prodigy. level intellect. That's how I thought of myself. And then realizing in my 20s that that was not the case really screwed me up and engendered a major quarter-life crisis that fucked me forever. A lot of gifted kids have that problem.

So at the time, as a child and as a teenager, I literally left that town. I left high school genuinely believing that I was goodwill hunting, like a prodigy. level intellect. That's how I thought of myself. And then realizing in my 20s that that was not the case really screwed me up and engendered a major quarter-life crisis that fucked me forever. A lot of gifted kids have that problem.

So at the time, as a child and as a teenager, I literally left that town. I left high school genuinely believing that I was goodwill hunting, like a prodigy. level intellect. That's how I thought of myself. And then realizing in my 20s that that was not the case really screwed me up and engendered a major quarter-life crisis that fucked me forever. A lot of gifted kids have that problem.

You end up being just a burned-out husk at 26 or whatever. But anyway, but as a kid and as a teen, I thought very, very highly of myself in terms of intelligence and intellect. And so it was always a thing where it's like, well, yeah, all these so many people surrounding me, they disagree with me. But like, you know, of course they do. They're all idiots.

You end up being just a burned-out husk at 26 or whatever. But anyway, but as a kid and as a teen, I thought very, very highly of myself in terms of intelligence and intellect. And so it was always a thing where it's like, well, yeah, all these so many people surrounding me, they disagree with me. But like, you know, of course they do. They're all idiots.

You end up being just a burned-out husk at 26 or whatever. But anyway, but as a kid and as a teen, I thought very, very highly of myself in terms of intelligence and intellect. And so it was always a thing where it's like, well, yeah, all these so many people surrounding me, they disagree with me. But like, you know, of course they do. They're all idiots.

And I'm brilliant, you know, like, so it makes sense that I would be the only one who's right about this thing, you know, like that.

And I'm brilliant, you know, like, so it makes sense that I would be the only one who's right about this thing, you know, like that.

And I'm brilliant, you know, like, so it makes sense that I would be the only one who's right about this thing, you know, like that.

Yes, exactly. And it's like, that's... You know, I realize now that's... I mean, I'm very self-aware of how douchey and insufferable that is now. But at the time, I wasn't aware of that. So, like... So, because I felt that way, I just had no qualms about just being up front with, like, that's ridiculous. You know, you're wrong, I'm right, whatever, and pushing back on people. So...