My mother's best friend's son died of AIDS 15 or 20 years ago. He was a very nice man, talented choral singer, snappy dresser...a good guy.

When he came out, his family adopted the theory that he had been turned and converted by bad people. He was from a very Southern Baptist family, they could not handle the t***h that their son was gay. Somebody had to have led him astray.

He was born gay. We were friends around the ages of 5-8 years. I knew then that he was different from other boys, but I was too young to be aware of sexuality. We visited the family during holiday times in my mid-teens, and within minutes of talking with him I figured him for gay, even though he wasn't out yet. A few years later he came out, and it made sense to me.

If he chose to be gay, he must have made that decision at three or fours years old...before he knew what sexuality was.

But, that would not make much sense would it?

He was born that way.

My mother's best friend's son died of AIDS 15 or 20 years ago. He was a very nice man, talented choral singer, snappy dresser...a good guy.

When he came out, his family adopted the theory that he had been turned and converted by bad people. He was from a very Southern Baptist family, they could not handle the t***h that their son was gay. Somebody had to have led him astray.

He was born gay. We were friends around the ages of 5-8 years. I knew then that he was different from other boys, but I was too young to be aware of sexuality. We visited the family during holiday times in my mid-teens, and within minutes of talking with him I figured him for gay, even though he wasn't out yet. A few years later he came out, and it made sense to me.

If he chose to be gay, he must have made that decision at three or fours years old...before he knew what sexuality was.

But, that would not make much sense would it?

He was born that way.