Dear Mariella: Something To Not Tell You

The dilemma I am a 17-year-old gay man who doesn’t have the courage to live how I want. Being gay has easily been the most daunting thing of my life. I found out roughly when I was 14, and for the past three years it has been ruining me. At first I despised myself and I ended up in counselling, which lead to a face-to-face confrontation with my mum, telling her I would rather not be living. I slowly came to terms with it thanks to the wonderful friends I had the courage to tell. If it wasn’t for them I would have lost it. However the thought of telling my family makes me numb. The worry has ruined me for the past three years, to the point where my GCSE results were below expected.

The Observer.

Mariella replies: Oh for god's sake, man up!