I never actually got the chance to come out to my parents... I got outed by my sister. My Dad didn't really react at all... he said he knew since I was about 2 hours old and didn't care. My mother was a mess, and spent the next two years calling me up once a week to tell me how much of a disappointment I was, suggested I get therapy of some sort and told me she she hoped the grandparents died before they found out. She got her wish. I never spoke to any of them again.

My sister attempted to make contact with me, but I refused to answer her letters, take her calls and threw away any gifts she sent me.

Times have changed.

My parents are now extremely visible members of PFLAG out in New Brunswick, and whenever there's a gay issue to discuss on radio or TV, my Mother is the one who goes on to speak on behalf of the gay community. She was a keynote speaker at the Moncton gay Pride festival last year, and I've had about 50 people tell me that without my mother and father as pseudo parents at the University they teach at, they never would have made it through school.

Both of my parents have written articles for news papers, and they've been interviewed together for the local newspaper about having a gay son.

They've gone out of their way to make up for all the shit they put me through, but being a typical Metal Head, I neither forgive or forget.

We've got an OK relationship now... I don't call them, but I don't hang up on them, either.