Gay teens coming out of the closet
Published Saturday July 5th, 2008
Although it's talked about more, it is still a difficult decision

By Tamsyn Burgmann
THE CANADIAN PRESS

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/whatever/article/344630

TORONTO - It was a black, stretch-velvet dress that outed Shawn Fowler at the age of 14.

Hours earlier, the sexy number had been tucked secretly away in his bedroom -- along with a wig, lipstick and mascara. Yet there was his sister, sashaying through his grandparents' house, only she was donning the frock.

"That was the catalyst that started me talking to my family about being gay," Fowler, now 29, recalled.

Knowing of no other venues to socialize, he had figured that if he dressed as a drag queen, bouncers at the local gay bar wouldn't dare card him. But his mom found the stash first.