It seems like this column has to be a spoof. What a twisted creature; this is truly p.c. gone mad. It's no wonder the Republicans can get away with anything.

-- Les Visible

Ayelet Waldman is so deluded I actually found myself laughing out loud -- she thinks her son saying "I might be gay" is an indication of his future sexual orientation and that his mighty cheer at the news of a judge striking down the ban on gay marriage is proof of his generation's tolerance? Looks to me more like too many episodes of "Will and Grace" and any child's natural propensity toward parroting back whatever they know will make Mommy give them a second helping of dessert and a pat on the back! That Waldman openly admits to wanting a gay son for his future stylish witticisms and fabulous fashion sense is among the most grotesque assertions I have ever read. She would apparently wish on her son: an insular dating pool with a significantly higher rate of HIV infection, a lifetime of discrimination, and a harder time having children of his own -- but wouldn't want a gay daughter because it just isn't as cool. She should wake up and realize that it is the horrifying shallowness of articles like these that causes moderately conservative, intelligent, otherwise-tolerant people to loathe the gay-rights movement and redouble their efforts to ban gay marriage.

-- Vladimir Talanin

After the last round of Ayelet Waldman's narcissistic excesses, I almost didn't click on her new article. I won't be tempted again. My morning newspaper pointed out that today's kids are the first generation to grow up subject to wide-open, potentially permanent chronicles of their fragile moments, making them vulnerable to future employers and anyone else. I am sensitive to the fact that Zeke is not old enough to understand that thousands of people are reading about the most personal aspects of his development. And now that I am on notice that his mother is airing matters about which he is "already embarrassed," I am not willing to be an audience for his further exploitation. To repeat what others have said: Shame on the columnist and on Salon.

-- Kim Corum

A mother saying she wants her son to be gay is certainly not something you hear every day. And frankly, I worry that such statements are fuel for the anti-gay reactionary forces that are gaining more steam these days. But, that's not Ms. Waldman's fault; she is talking about personal feelings. What bothers me here is the reasoning -- that a gay son would be more attentive to his mother. She admits this is a stereotype, but there is a bit of truth there.

One of the main reasons for this is the lack of legitimacy we give to gay marriage. The only "family" a gay man has in the eyes of society is his birth family. In my case I can say that after 25 years with my partner, my family still considered me single and still expected much more attention from me than they would had I had a wife. My mother even intimated that should she become disabled and need someone with her around the clock that I would move there (from another state) with no thought about leaving my partner behind.

Ironically Ms. Waldman advocates for gay marriage in the article, but I think she should consider that a world where gay marriage is accepted will take away from the attachment gay men have to their mothers.

-- Larry Firrantello

I have loved all three of Ayelet Waldman's articles in the past couple months and I'm delighted this will be a regular feature. I have just happily discovered that our public library carries several of her books. Thanks, Salon, for introducing me to another fantastic writer!

-- Kim Vaughan

I rarely submit letters, but am compelled to at this time. Ayelet Waldman should be ashamed of herself for her betrayal and humiliation of her son, and Salon should be ashamed to aid and abet her selfishness.

As refreshingly enlightened as her son is with regard to homosexuality, the reality is that there will come a day when his classmates' knowledge of his pink peignoir set and his innocently expressed desire to be gay will come back to haunt him.

-- Lainie Bardack

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