DEAR ABBY: I am 16 years old and having trouble finding a way to tell my parents that I'm a lesbian. Every day I wish I could find the courage to say, "Mom, Dad, I'm gay!" but it's a lot more complicated than that. They are very religious, and I have seen firsthand how they react to homosexuality. That's why it's going to be so hard to break the news. I don't want to tell them, but I know that I HAVE to in order to get on with my life. What should I do? -- TRAPPED IN GEORGIA
DEAR TRAPPED: There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Some parents feel that homosexuality is a choice, and that by coming out, their child is being defiant. Parents like that have been known to throw the child out or make life so difficult at home that the child becomes a runaway.
Your know your parents better than I do. If that description applies to them, postpone your announcement until you are out of high school and self-supporting.