Dear Queenie,
Our adult son has told us that he is gay. We think he was convinced of this by an older man he admires very much.
Queenie, how can we accept what he says when we think the problem is that this man persuaded him of something that is not true?—Upset parents
Dear Parents,
Surely if your son is an adult he knows whether he is attracted to men or to women (or to both) without being influenced by anybody else. I suspect the only “persuading” that took place was to tell you the (apparently unwelcome) truth about himself.
As you apparently are having difficulty dealing with this revelation, I suggest find support by talking to parents of other gay men, if you know any, or by contacting Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) at www.pflag.org .
