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"When we found out what they were, we had a hard time comprehending it as it just was not right.

That was me at age 14 (ah, sweet innocence). I was 14 before I knew homosexuality existed. At 15 I came across the first homosexual ever. He was about 40 years old and assaulted one of my best friends, and went to prison. A few years later, I was assaulted by another unhappy gay. So, yeah, I admit to being "homophobic."

My first comprehension of a homosexual, although I didn't know it until after the fact, was with a renter of my family's garage apartment. Older man who worked up the street at an Episcopal Church in the neighborhood as a grounds keeper/maintenance man. He eventually moved out, didn't know where, and soon after learned that he had been murdered. In my tender young years, I had never known anyone who had been murdered before. I overheard the whisperings of my parents and their friends that he had taken up with some other men, and that they had likely killed him. I also heard some other talk that seemed unsavory in my innocence, something about sexuality. I never delved any further.

Forth through fifth grade. Had a high-black male math teacher who dressed "fabulously" and was extremely flamboyant - neck scarf, satin shirts and all. One of the most hateful men I'd ever met up until that point. He would literally beat students with a ruler and holler at them. I was petrified of him.

Also had a band teacher in High School who liked to touch my developing peach fuzz mustache. Lived alone in my neighborhood. Later found out that he had been murdered.

Another high school teacher, a humanities teacher, was probably in his 50's. He disappeared abruptly from teaching and we learned that he died, apparently from some disease. This was in the early 80's.

Yeah, these people are all SO normal.