Yes.

The first time I met BLs in person, it had a profound impact on my life. The things others have mentioned, feelings of freedom and acceptance, were a pretty big deal to me at the time. Also, I was able to observe firsthand a bl/yf relationship, which forever changed my view on such relationships and on the inevitability of harm sexuality brings with it. Most importantly, this was the first step towards recovery from a depression I had been in for years and which, thankfully, I never went back to. Being with other BLs finally made me feel what I knew mentally but had yet to accept emotionally, that we are just regular guys. I am a happy person today in part because of that first encounter.

In total, I have now met about a dozen BLs.