Brendan Burke, Brian Burke's Son, Admits He's Gay

As many others have stated, it's not a "lifestyle".I'm only pointing this out because you're a supportive individual who agrees that being gay should be a non-issue. It's just that when you describe being gay as a lifestyle, you make it sound like a choice or that if you're gay, you're a "certain way".Being gay isn't akin to how we choose to live or dress or speak or think. It's just how we are.

As many others have stated, it's not a "lifestyle".I'm only pointing this out because you're a supportive individual who agrees that being gay should be a non-issue. It's just that when you describe being gay as a lifestyle, you make it sound like a choice or that if you're gay, you're a "certain way".Being gay isn't akin to how we choose to live or dress or speak or think. It's just how we are.

Did you react that way because deep down you are scared of your own sexuality?

"Let me say, I still don't agree with the life choice"Would you say a person who is left handed has made a "life choice to be a lefty"? Being left handed and being gay are quite similar in that both are behavioral characteristics that are beyond our control.Most of us have brains that are wired in such a way as to make us right handed but for what ever reason - and the reason isn't well understood or important - some of us are wired to be left handed. Likewise most humans are wired in such a way as to be sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex, but a few are wired to be attracted to their own sex. Why is that? No one really knows for sure though there is a lot of evidence showing it has to do with hormones in the mother's body during critical stages of development of the fetus. Most likely there are a complex set of factors involved. The important thing is that homosexuality simply exists. It's a fact.Interestingly, the incidence of left handedness and homosexuality appears to be similar as well, though there are no other obvious connections.In both cases there is an element of choice involved however. Like a left handed person can be forced or trained to use their naturally non-dominant right hand - usually with limited success or with some undesirable side effects - it is possible for homosexuals to act in the role a heterosexual. Many gays who have a strong desire to be heterosexual marry, have children and appear to live "normal" heterosexual lives. This is the true "life style choice". These people are still not heterosexual. They tend to be unhappy in life and sooner or later most revert back to their natural homosexual state.The harm done to families in these cases is unfortunate. Imagine a wife discovering her husband and the father of her children is actually gay and has never been physically attracted to her! In fact, her husband may well have been having secret affairs with men over the years. This is not at all uncommon.

It was not a choice for him other than telling you... no one would choose that "lifestyle"... i see you must have been in his shoes to know it was a choice. you must be aware of all the unecessary ridicule one would go through...

Man, there is one thing that gets lost in stories like this, and I know is a hot button for a lot of people. And I'm not trying to push that button to incite a riot, offend or ruffle.IT IS NOT A CHOICE.Do you think anyone would choose this? So when you say that, "I still don't agree with the life choice," it's like telling your other child, "I don't agree with your choice to be dyslexic," or telling your parents, "I don't agree with your choice to have dementia."Don't say that to your stepson. He didn't choose it. And I don't believe even very many outside factors contribute to it. In fact, Brendan Burke's outside factors clearly contributed more to his love of sports than his sexual orientation.Best thing in this case would be for Brendan to have a great career in hockey, it cease to be a water cooler topic of conversation, and everyone forget about it, and like the dude for his professional passion and never make a a big deal about it, nor feel like they have to avoid it. Or at least that's how I try to live my life as a gay man in the business world where it only gets talked about once a year for some trivial, and often funny reason.

"Let me say, I still don't agree with the life choice"You know that "Jim" never made the choice to be gay, right? What day did you sit down and make the choice to be straight? It is who he is, and it is a shame that a young person who is already going through soooo much was not able to find support in his own home. Oh, and I am pretty sure your 6 year old son would not have caught it. I think it is actually beneficial to be raised around diversity, it helps round you out as a person and eliminates prejudice that is clearly present in many homes. I hope you were able to mend your relationship with him and that he does not resent you or your wife for making a very hurtful and bigoted decision, for he has every right to feel resentment. I also hope he has found peace with who is he and that he has found the support he should have received from his family; he sounds like a blessing that any parent should be lucky enough to recieve. 

I know you're just getting used to all this but your choice of words in your post show you still have a long way to go."I feel like I made a big mistake..."Dude, after 3 1/2 years, that's what you come up with? You "feel" it was a mistake? Man up. It WAS a mistake."I made my wife make sacrifices that she did not want to make"How about, " I made my wife make sacrifices that I had no right to demand that she make"."I still don't agree with the life choice"Other's have said it but it's worth saying over and over and over. It is NOT A CHOICE, unless you are referring to the choice to not live a life of denial and misery, pretending to be attracted to the opposite sex when in reality, you are not. Because that is the only choice associated with being gay, to chose to not live your life as a lie and to come out.I congratulate you on the progress you've made but I sincerely hope you don't still talk to your stepson using the words you used in this post. It's infuriating to read and I don't even know you. Hear yourself through "Jim's" ears and tell him again how much you support him and regret your actions.

Oh god damn thank you for pointing this useful piece of information out to all of us who suffer from Inability to Read Articles and Understand What Was Written (IRAUWWW). We are the fastest growing group of people with disadvantadges this day and yet we meet little to no understanding from the everyday normal MF. Your contribution is of inmesuarable value. THANK YOU. 

The Sherlock award of 2010 goes to...