Only a young gay boy could strike a pose with a five-pound carp! I enjoyed playing in the dirt, climbing trees, fishing, and doing archery. I was not into girly stuff, even when my two older sisters dressed me up in pigtails and paraded me around the neighborhood. The word gay didn’t enter my vocabulary until about seven years ago, when I figured out that I was gay—after being married for seven years and having two absolutely wonderful sons. I sometimes wonder: Did my mom know all along? I look at this photo now and just wish I could be that naive and unafraid boy again. It is so important to get over the fear of simply being you.
