Mouse Philosophy

I have started reading at work again. I used to get through almost a book a day (as there is nothing else to do there), but it eventually used to make me feel even more sleepy than I would have been. I have been so bored lately though that I decided to give reading a go again, with books that I know I love.
I am going through the Tales of the City set again, and last night finished More Tales of the City (the second in the series). In it, and this isn't giving away much of the plot, Michael "Mouse" Tolliver writes a letter to his parents to tell them he is gay. It is in response to a letter from his mother telling him about the anti-gay group Save Our Children she and his father had joined (look it and Anita Bryant up on Wikipedia for more on this).

Here is part of the letter, which sums up how I feel quite aptly. I'm guessing a lot of people feel this way, gay, straight or whatever:
"No, Mama, I wasn't "recruited." No seasoned homosexual ever served as my mentor. But you know what? I wish someone had. I wish someone older than me and wiser than the people in Orlando had taken me aside and said, "You're all right, kid. You can grow up to be a doctor or a teacher just like anyone else. You're not crazy or sick or evil. You can succeed and be happy and find peace with friends - all kinds of friends - who don't give a damn who you go to bed with. Most of all, though, you can love and be loved, without hating yourself for it. But no on ever said that to me, Mama."

I love Armistead Maupin's books and, no matter how many times I read them (this is about the 10th time I've been reading through the series), they always make me cry and laugh, and make me happy and sad, all at the same time.