The mother needs to have her head examined. She instituted the harsh physical punishment regime at home, which is just horrible. It’s weird to read that some parents were so afraid of “feminine” behavior in little boys that they would actually abuse their kids over it. I remember when my son was 2 and 3 he was enthralled with the glittery shoes in Target, and for a while he appropriated my daughter’s outgrown Elmo nighty. It was funny, but it wouldn’t have ever occurred to me that I needed to beat it out of him.

He’s completely hetero, but has a good friend who is openly not. I think their generation will turn the page on homophobia…I hope so anyway.