Valerio pulled me in. “Do not let people tell you how to live your life, Amir.” “I just feel self-conscious, that’s all.” “It is all about how you present yourself,” Valerio said, smiling at a man wearing a fanny pack who was glaring at us. “If I was standing in front of the Pope and I said, ‘Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Pope, I am gay,’ then of course he would be like, ‘Yeah, no. Not cool.’ But if I said, ‘Hey, I am gay,’ like it is my eye color, then the Pope would probably shrug and be like, ‘Okay, live your truth.’” Valerio jumped off the ledge and took a bow before me. “It is all about
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