My parents were still coming to terms with me being gay as many parents in those days were in a similar situation. Mum was ok with the whole thing saying she knew from a young age that I was into boys, but it was dad who was struggling with the whole concept of my sexuality. He became weird around me. He wouldn’t talk to me; in fact, he couldn’t stand being in the same room as me. I found it very hurtful of course as dad and I had always been close. Mum said he would come around in the end, but I guess it just made me want to stay out of our family home even

longer. I couldn’t tolerate the friction between us and

I didn’t want it lingering into our family home life more than it had to do.

Sean and I spent more and more time