As a gaylord whose name has "gay" in it, I can attest that homophobia in my teen years was... pretty disconcerting. Everyone's got your number! That said, I was extremely luck to have had a teacher like this.

That "gaylord" google alert finally paid off, huh?

A sweet story. I ache for all the LGBT people who had done nothing wrong, but whose lives were turned absolutely upside down when acceptance was a tiny fraction of what it is today—those who persevered and lived lives of dignity and accomplishment, as well as those who couldn't manage and slipped below the waves.

@1: As a straight guy whose name has the spoken syllable "Gay" in it, and who also has long hair, I feel your pain. I faced a lot of homophobia in middle school, before I really even knew of The Gay.

my kindergarten teacher was fired for being gay also. i mean i don't know the details or anything but that was the gist. some parents found out and suddenly it was decided he wasn't fit to be around children. pretty sure that is how my liberal heart was sprung. i was heartbroken to lose him, and for what? he was awesome.