NEW JERSEY

Out of the Closet in Seventh Grade

Letter the Editor, from the NYTimes on the Web, April 8, 2007

Thank you for the poignant and compelling article about Zach O’Connor (“Accepting an Identity, and Gaining Strength,” by Michael Winerip, Parenting, April 1).  It succinctly described his pain and suffering in the closet, while sharing his spiritual liberation and self-acceptance after “coming out” at 13.

Mr. Winerip gently describes Zach’s loving and supportive family.  The sad reality is that many gay youth are met with hostility and banishment upon expressing their truth.

Gay youth are still, tragically, an all too large percentage of the homeless in their age group, and the suicide rate of gay youth is still well above the national norm of straight youth.  Yet today’s youth do have resources such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the Trevor Project.

I hope we can look to a time in America when every “Zach” can express his or her sexual orientation with honesty and integrity.

Jim McGreevey
Plainfield
 

The writer is the former New Jersey governor.

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