While we grow ever more comfortable with our sexuality, in both public and private, we have yet to deal with the core shame that continues to hound us. We grew up believing that we were unacceptable and somehow tragically twisted. We no longer hold that being gay is twisted, but we cling to the core belief that we are inferior. In stage two, it is this core of toxic shame that takes center stage. To silence the distress of this toxic shame, we go about the task of seeking validation from others.
