My dad, otherwise more radically left than Upton Sinclair, is a huge homophobe. It's one of the main strains on our relationship, and there were times I wished I was gay (and a man) just to make him rethink his position. But somehow his fear and, let's face it, insecurity about his own sexuality has only made me stray further and further from his influence. My accepting, loving mom is largely to thank for this, but I also had the privilege to have gay teachers and friends throughout my life. It's hard to otherize a group that comprises half of your peer group (or more, at my college), and this is what gets me the most agitated about anti-gay people.
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