loud. “Do you think my mom thinks I’m gay?” I asked. Mr. Howe thought about his answer for a second, then said, “I don’t know what she thinks, honestly. So all I can do is point out that whatever she thinks doesn’t define you anyplace other than her mind. It’s okay if you’re gay. It’s also okay if you’re not gay. And it’s okay if you haven’t figured it out, because most of us don’t figure it out when we’re in fifth grade.”
