letter

Dear Amy Steel,

                   Hi, how are you doing? My name is Loan Le and I had read about you in a small excerpt in a book.  I cannot say that I understand how you feel about your sexuality because I am a heterosexual. I can say that I understand what you are going through and I completely disagree with the system. I have many homosexual friends and they are no different from any of my other friends. The big discrimination against homosexual back in the fifties is no different from being racist again other color. It is horrible to see that so many people had to marry and have kids in order to hide their true sexuality.  It must been very difficult for you to pretend to love someone that you have no interest with.  In this new century that I am living in, a lot had changed. Now, many people are not afraid to show their true self.  Do not get me wrong, there are people that do hide their sexuality but not from the government. They hide for their own personal reason. 

                  As I read more about you, I can see how strong you were of your own sexuality. There are many people that will never tell their families that they are a homosexual. The fact that you were able to tell your family that you are gay knowing that they are against it is very impressive.  In today’s world, two people of the same sex are able to get marry and even have children together.  I actually have a friend that has two mothers. The only problem is he does not have a male figure in his life. He even confessed to me that he is sometime embarrassed to tell anyone that he has two mothers.  Because of that, he feels that he had to do more masculine activities to show that he is not sissy. He was a big jock when he was in high school and now he is working as a construction worker.  I cannot give him any advice on his situation because I was never in his predicament. In fact, I my feelings about the situation is opposing to his.

                  I grew up with two parents but by the time I was twelve years old, my father left my family. In my family I have an older sister, which is twenty four now, a younger brother, which is sixteen now, and I will be twenty one in September. My brother was only seven when my father left, and was raised with only females in the family.  He now goes to Loyola Academy and always had first honors in his classes. I had once asked him how he felt growing up without a male figure and he told me that my mother is his male figure and she is all he need.  If you have any advice about my friend’s situation I would love to hear about it.   

                  In fact I have many questions to ask you about the fifties. When did you know that you were gay? How do you feel knowing that you could not run to your family and talk about it?  How did you feel when the police arrested you for “vagrancy?” Do you think the cop knew you were gay and actually arrested you for discrimination? Have you ever thought how your life would be if you were ever straight? Did you ever wish that you had never told your family and kept it a secret?  If the whole world was gay but there was a discriminatory against heterosexuals, will you ever accept that from your children? Will you think the same way as your parents?

                  I want to thank you for your time. Well I would love to hear from you soon.  Please write back as soon as a possible

Love Always,

Loan Le