What happens when parents and children don’t talk to each other? David M. writes about his coming to terms with his sexuality and himself.

David’s situation is made more difficult by his father who views homosexuals in a very negative and very stereotypical light. Father and son make no attempt to communicate with each other. David assumes, correctly from what he tells us of his father, that his dad could not stomach having a gay son. His father seems oblivious to David’s inner struggles and misery, even though we can assume there were some outer signs. The father even seems unaware that David’s first suicide attempt was anything more than a severe stomach illness.

Obviously, this discussion can only focus on parent/child relations if your students are mature enough to talk about David’s relation with this father, rather than dwelling on his gayness.

Or, if you’re very skillful, you can work from students’ negative reactions to the story, (e.g., “His dad should reject him!”) to develop a discussion about the value of tolerance within a family.

Do parents have a right to halt communication with a child who does something radically at odds with their beliefs or values? For example, should a strongly religious father kick out of his house a daughter or son who is sexually active? Who smokes reefer? Who listens to crude rap music? Who is gay? Where would your students draw the line for behavior a parent should tolerate?