[*Anya*]

I came out to my 2 daughters first because they asked me why my girlfriend-my first "real" one, slept in my bed with me and why we were kissing. They must have been 7 and almost 6.

I said I loved her. They said OK. it did not bother them until they were pre-teens and knew what it really meant. Then it upset them because they wanted a hetero family like most of their friends. By the time they were in their late teens, they thought it was cool.

Then I told my brothers. They were 19 & 13. Neither cared until I told my parents and then all hell broke loose. WWIII freakout on mom's part. She did not talk to me for 15 years and my bros saw my rejection by our parents and didn't want any part of it so they sided with mom & dad joined in. I understand that, really.

One time, just a major coincidence, one year that my long-term butch and I were vacationing in Hawaii and we were in a store and who should walk by but my mother! My parents were there @ the same time. She walked right by me. I turned around and said: "Mom!" but she kept on walking! Yes, she saw and heard me.

Not invited to my brothers weddings as they got older or any family function. My girls also were rejected.

Now that they are in their 80's, it is an uneasy peace. They ask me zero about my life and do not want to hear anything about my being gay whatsoever. I accept them as they are as they are too old to change now.

My brothers both live out of state and we rarely speak.

The Waltons-we are not.