More people use guns to kill themselves than to kill others.

A quick comeback is usually meant as license to be mean.

Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about "a sexual proclivity." It's not a "lifestyle," as you put it. It's about our identity. Pride is a time when we come together to celebrate our community and when others do, too. Just as we do for other racial, ethnic, and religious groups that are part of the "tossed salad" nature of our society.

Rely on facts, figures, principles of equality and fairness.

Acceptance comes through understanding.

To parents who find a child's disclosure about sexual or gender identity challenging, I always urge what I'd call "moderated" honesty. If you can't say "I love you," then say something like, "I'm going to need some time to digest this news." Buy time this way. And then think.

Cross-dressing is more of a set of actions or behaviors and not synonymous with gender identity (straight, gay, bisexual, transgender, among others).