Excellent points, Jack Graham, and quite rousing, really. I’m almost a generation older than you, and an American. I can say I agree very much with what you’ve written about the struggle so many of us LGBTQ people face.

Here in the US, things are even more complex. While many areas of the country approach being fully accepting and affirming, as they say, other parts sit firmly mired in the dark ages.

An LGBTQ teen’s experience growing up in urban New England would likely be pretty good. But a queer kid in Alabama would probably have to go through hell to reach self acceptance.

That said, even places where things seem pretty damn good still present challenges. I have a young friend who goes to uni in Bristol and who grew up in Somerset. He’s quite a lot younger than you, but he still struggled mightily to come out to friends and family. We aren’t all the way there yet.

Good of you to write a story trying to lay it out to people.

Jim