Absolutely! Sometimes I write about the queer youth who live in rural or conservative parts of the United States who have really difficult experiences growing up. Sometimes I write about them because they write to me and tell me their troubles.

It can be really hard to hear what they have to say, because they remind me of the horrible times I had growing up in an Evangelical Protestant world that loathed queer people.

So I’ll dish out a few words of advice and point them toward responsible organizations like the Trevor Project and GLSEN, but as I do I’ll realize something. They do have the Internet, and they did write to me, and they do have other people to reach out to.

And critically, they can socialize with their peers on social media, which is something I would have given an eye tooth for once upon a time. And what a force for good that socialization is.