What a fantastic piece, Julie, and very well written. It's delightful that your love has taken such higher ground over the prejudice you faced. You write about the "in person" prejudice you experienced, but I wonder how much more you encountered online, where it thrives. In my experience (as a slim older man, granted), "mixed" attraction and couples are not all that rare and not worth an eyebrow raise. In Hollywood, sure; in Anytown USA, not so much.

Sidenote for you and Kevin, who I see commented below: no need to worry about the Blue Ridge Mountain bears eating you. They're all black bears up here and very rarely threatening. Still a very lovely gesture! But you both can enjoy your hikes up here without worrying about having to outrun each other.