DR. WALLACE: I'm a 17-year-old guy, and I'm gay. Being gay, I am aware that gay people have the highest suicide percentage of all teens. The reason why is we are ostracized by mainstream heterosexual America. We are ridiculed, hated, despised and persecuted. No wonder we can't find comfort and peace in this godless world. Suicide has crossed my mind several times, but my faith in God made me realize that God gives life, and only God can take away a life.

If you know someone who is gay, please reach out and be kind to this person. Show compassion, understanding and acceptance of them an equal. We didn't choose to be gay. That's just the way we entered this world.

My family was horrified when I told them I was gay. They had no idea I was because I didn't want them to know. It's been six months since I gave them the startling news. They have accepted it, but I can tell they are very disappointed. I'm not a gay rights activist, and I don't flaunt my sexuality by dressing like a transvestite and dancing in parades.

I consider myself a normal teen who enjoys sports, music, animals and watching a good television program. I have two arms and two legs, a neck and a head, and two hands and two feet, and I look just like the boy who lives next door. By looking at me you would not even dream that I'm gay, and that's the way I like it.

All I'm asking for is that you treat me the same way you did before you heard me say, "By the way, it's time to tell you that I'm gay." — Nameless, San Diego, Calif.

NAMELESS: Thanks for your heartfelt plea for acceptance. The teen years are tough for everybody, and many young people, as they struggle to gain independence and establish an identity, wind up thinking they're different from the rest of the world. This sense of isolation is intensified when some condition or facet of their lives, such as being gay, actually does set them apart.

I applaud your courage and your strength. Even though your family was horrified to learn you were gay, telling them was the right thing to do. Gay teens who hide their sexual identity from their parents suffer confusion, guilt and, worst of all, deep impenetrable isolation. Far too many wind up being unable to cope with the conflict between inner identity and external expectations and resorting to suicide.

As a former high school teacher, coach and administrator, I very much enjoyed the opportunity to work with teens of different races, religions and ethnic backgrounds. It didn't matter. They were all in one category: teenage students.

It makes no difference to me that you are gay. What does matter is that you took time to express your views and that you are able to deal with your life in a positive way. I respect that, and I hope others will as well. Please feel free to contact me at any time. I'll always do my very best to offer a helping hand.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.