We speculated that she might be gay and assumed things would become clearer as she reached sexual maturity. She told teachers and friends at her not-cool, not inner-city Catholic public school, all of whom, without exception, treated her with respect and understanding. In the meantime, she announced that once the transition was under way she would go by the name of Sam*. In a moment of habit, I asked Helena to pass me the cold salmon, before noticing that others were now asking Sam to pass the potato salad. That easy collision, handled by her without reproach, demonstrated how unconditional love pays off.

Source: The Guardian December 22, 2017 23:26 UTC