When I was three years old my mama and I were driving to the mall, me wearing my 101 Dalmations purse, and I suddenly told her I wanted to go home. She asked me why and I said because people were going to make fun of me. She asked why again and I told her because I was different.

We went home and she wrote in a journal she later gave to me that she knew I knew that I was gay and she was terrified because she loved me so much and she couldn& #39;t bear the thought of anyone being mean to me, or making me feel less than, because of my sexuality.

She signed the entry, "I love you! Xo" - which I have tattooed on my right wrist to remind me how much she loves me. Something that these last few weeks I’ve been more grateful for than ever before.