By observing the treatment of gay men in Sickened by Julie Gregory, a reader can gain a deeper understanding of how the protagonist’s mother helps to develop themes during the book. At one point in the story, Julie’s mother, Sandy confronts Julie’s father, Dan in an attempt to talk to him about being a better parent. When he doesn’t want to listen because he’s watching M*A*S*H, she decides to insult him to get his attention by saying, “If you were a man, you fat-assed faggot, you good-for-nothing, lazy-ass, son-of-a--” (Gregory 81). At this point, she is not able to finish her sentence because he bolts out of the chair, grabs her by the neck, and attempts to beat her with a ceramic cat. This scene creates a dramatic showdown between all members