or How I lost my flame-retardent coating
Having read over Marvin C.'s "extensive" homophobic articles, I find myself offended on behalf of my friends that are homosexual, both male and female. And to set your mind at ease, Marvin, I am a certified heterosexual.
Similar to your friend that "came out", I have a friend from when I was in the Army who is gay and let me know so in no uncertain terms about his choice to be so. Having grown up in a midwestern, rural, god-fearing place I was initially no less than abhorred that a man could choose to seek gratification in the company of another. As such, I shunned my friend for nearly a month.
Eventually, I came to the realization by myself that my friend was still my friend, regardless of what he chose for his sexuality.
Was I right in condemning him at the start for his choices? No, because it wasn't up to me to make choices concerning the way that he wanted to live his life. Nor was I in a postion to be able to pass judgement on him or his choices, as I was no more or less a man than he is.
Neither was I justified in cutting off any relationship that we had. He was gay before we met, and he has remained so. He hasn't become any less of a person because of this, and he is still the same person that I befriended.
By overcoming my own "flame-retardent" tendencies and misgivings, I was able to gain a greater insight and understanding to the lives and concerns of another group of people that I have found to be just as kind, loving, and understanding (and in some cases more so) as those that I had encountered otherwise.