I had a classmate in seventh grade named Andrew. He was extremely down to earth and incredibly funny. In fact, he was known as the class clown. Andrew and I were good friends. We had a few classes together and we always enjoyed each other’s company, at least until I learned he was gay. When I first heard the rumor, I was confused as I thought being gay meant being happy. So I asked my parents selective questions and did some research on my own. Having grown up in church, I concluded that it was a sin and to be associated with a sin so visible was damaging to my reputation as a Christian. Therefore, I initially started avoiding and later completely stopped talking to Andrew. As the weeks flew by and I passed him in the hallways, I frequently