National Coming Out Day, a little late (hopefully fashionably)
The thing about being sort of tired and irritable and going to bed early when one doesn't sleep much is that one wakes up at 5am. So I read a story, and now I'm watching one of those really good documentaries that LOGO does, which reminded me that I forgot to say anything for National Coming Out Day.
So I'd like to tell you about my uncle.
My uncle and my mother, who is five years younger, were raised in within the French Catholic culture of western Maine. He went to boarding school and was in the Navy for a time, and then settled in Connecticut where he worked for a cargo airline. He married and had two children.
In 1976, when I was six and he was 47, he drove his car into a tree.
He broke his foot and totaled the car, and after that he came out to my mother and grandmother. My mother, I think, wasn't all that surprised. My grandmother, predictably within the faith, had a bit of a fit, but less than a year later she came around. And then, before my First Communion, we just left the Church. I still have this image in my mind of all of us getting up from a pew and walking out. And when I was given my birds and bees talks, I was told about homosexuality and heterosexuality sort of all at once in a big pile.
My uncle still lives in Connecticut. He's retired now, growing old in his little house with his lover of over 25 years. He and my mother are still very close, and he still sees his kids. His ex-wife has since come out, herself.
But mostly, what's wonderful is that none of my friends had to drive into a tree before coming out.
So I'd like to tell you about my uncle.
My uncle and my mother, who is five years younger, were raised in within the French Catholic culture of western Maine. He went to boarding school and was in the Navy for a time, and then settled in Connecticut where he worked for a cargo airline. He married and had two children.
In 1976, when I was six and he was 47, he drove his car into a tree.
He broke his foot and totaled the car, and after that he came out to my mother and grandmother. My mother, I think, wasn't all that surprised. My grandmother, predictably within the faith, had a bit of a fit, but less than a year later she came around. And then, before my First Communion, we just left the Church. I still have this image in my mind of all of us getting up from a pew and walking out. And when I was given my birds and bees talks, I was told about homosexuality and heterosexuality sort of all at once in a big pile.
My uncle still lives in Connecticut. He's retired now, growing old in his little house with his lover of over 25 years. He and my mother are still very close, and he still sees his kids. His ex-wife has since come out, herself.
But mostly, what's wonderful is that none of my friends had to drive into a tree before coming out.