I nnot al wh fact my son is gay | Exprs Yourself | Comment |

Contents:

• I TRIED TO STOP MY SON FROM BEG GAY. I WISH I HADN'T
• I NNOT AL WH FACT MY SON IS GAY
• MY SON TOLD FRIENDS HE’S GAY. HE TELLS ME HE WAS JOKG.

I TRIED TO STOP MY SON FROM BEG GAY. I WISH I HADN'T

A g-of-age gay narrative, replete wh a mil number about Madge’s first csh (on the Pied Piper). By now u probably have an ia of what i am about to I am gayRyan: i n’t believe i jt told youMom: Are you jokg? Ryan: i know i amRyan: i don’t like hannahRyan: ’s jt a ver-upMom: but that don’t make you gay…Ryan: i knowRyan: but u don’t unrstandRyan: i am gayMom: tell me moreRyan: ’s jt the way i am and ’s somethg i knowRyan: u r not a lbian and u know that.

Ryan: i am jt gayRyan: i am thatMom: I love you no matter whatRyan: i am whe not blackRyan: i knowRyan: i am a boy not a girlRyan: i am attracted to boys not girlsRyan: u know that about yourself and i know thisMom: what about what God thks about actg on the sir?

Not that we didn’t know and love gay people — my only brother had e out to several years before, and we adored him. I tried to pray the gay away wh my teenage son. The feelgs you’ve had for other guys don’t make you gay.

I NNOT AL WH FACT MY SON IS GAY

So please don’t tell anyone that you ARE gay.

Your inty is not that you are gay — is that you are a child of love you.

He read all the Christian books that explaed where his gay feelgs me om and dove to unselg to further disver the orig of his unwanted attractn to other guys. And we lost the abily to love our gay son, bee we no longer had a gay son. What we had wished, prayed and hoped for — that we would not have a gay son — me te.

MY SON TOLD FRIENDS HE’S GAY. HE TELLS ME HE WAS JOKG.

But not at all the way we had, when I thk back on the fear that erned all my reactns durg those first six years after Ryan told he was gay, I crge as I realize how foolish I was.