column in the Toronto Sun on Pride Day 2007, my inbox filled up with e-mails of support. One of the first came from then Ontario Progressive Conservative leader and now Toronto mayor John Tory, a good friend (until I dared to criticize his record as mayor). Written in the wee hours of that Sunday morning (when Mr. Tory is known to start his day), his words about my courage and my setting of an example were truly genuine and are ones I still remember. If I was the slightest bit shaky about what I’d done, that quickly disappeared over the next few days when the e-mails, calls, and words of encouragement from readers, Sun colleagues, right-wing politicians, bureaucrats from City Hall, and even gays still in the closet kept coming and coming. Nearly 99 per cent of the feedback was positive, heartfelt, and uplifting. Readers who admitted to growing up in homophobic families wrote me tales of learning as adults that some of their dear friends were gay. They thanked me for presenting a positive role model.
