[Mrs. Don-o]

I'm not sure that's a fair assessment. In my experience there are young adolescent boys who have fleeting thoughts of this and that, fleeting crushy feelings for her or him, without actually settling on the self-identification "gay." They haven't picked the label.

So he might have been in this ambiguous undefined position for years, until somebody encouraged him to come out as one of the LGBT "barrier-breakers" --- for which he will get lots of congratulations, be called "courageous," --- very ego-stroking stuff for a young man.

[Elsie]

--- very ego-stroking stuff for a young man.

I'd venture to say that EGO is not the only thing involved!