--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two years had passed, and still I had not…" description: "\"“Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys anything. I had not told them that their grandfather was gay. I wanted to. I wanted them to kn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/gregory-martin-80088_gay-marriage_two-years-had-passed-and-still-i-had-not_2136298.jpg" --- # Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys… ![“Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys anything. I had not told them that their grandfather was gay. I wanted to. I wanted them to know. It seemed like every month a new state was taking up the issue of gay marriage, and it seemed like every month another teenager killed himself…” quote by Gregory Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/gregory-martin-80088_gay-marriage_two-years-had-passed-and-still-i-had-not_2136298.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/gregory-martin-80088_gay-marriage_two-years-had-passed-and-still-i-had-not_2136298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/gregory-martin-80088_gay-marriage_two-years-had-passed-and-still-i-had-not_2136298.jpg) > ““Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys anything. I had not told them that their grandfather was gay. I wanted to. I wanted them to know. It seemed like every month a new state was taking up the issue of gay marriage, and it seemed like every month another teenager killed himself because he was being mocked or threatened or bullied for being gay, and I wanted my sons to know that I considered this the most important moral issue we faced as a country since Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King...”” [Gregory Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels urgency to discuss gay rights with his sons amid evolving laws and tragic teen suicides. **In simple terms:** Talk about important issues now. Key Takeaway Start the conversation. Themes family Lrights social justice Mood concerned hopeful Type personal advocacy When to use this quote - parent‑child talks - school curricula - community outreach - policy advocacy Key Concepts identity courage activism Questions to Reflect On - How will you approach the topic sensitively? - What resources can support the discussion? A Different Perspective It assumes a single narrative fits all families. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys-told-1875564/) [Bullied Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullied-gay-809782/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Grandfather Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandfather-gay-4426703/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Issue Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-gay-648608/) [Told Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-boys-1358433/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) ## Related quotes > [ I think that the media is as divided on this issue \[of gay marriage\] as the Obama family — which is to say not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-halperin/i-think-that-the-media-is-as-divided-on-this-issue-of-gay-marriage-as/) [Mark Halperin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-halperin/) > [It’s very dear to me, the issue of gay marriage. Or as I like to call it: ‘marriage.’ You know, because I had lunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-feldman/it-s-very-dear-to-me-the-issue-of-gay-marriage-or-as-i-like-to-call/) [Liz Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-feldman/) > [The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [And that really captures the difference for the bullied straight kid versus the bullied gay kid, is that the bullied straight kid goes home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/and-that-really-captures-the-difference-for-the-bullied-straight-kid/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Being a Boy Scout saved my life. I was a bookish, introverted kid, shy and withdrawn, unhappy and easily bullied. I was also gay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bram/being-a-boy-scout-saved-my-life-i-was-a-bookish-introverted-kid-shy/) [Christopher Bram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bram/) > [Why were the little girls all frightened To be just what they are The boys were told to ask themselves How high how far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapin/why-were-the-little-girls-all-frightened-to-be-just-what-they-are-the/) [Harry Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapin/) > [“One of the plainest truths about both towns and individuals is that they usually don’t turn into what we tell them to be, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/one-of-the-plainest-truths-about-both-towns-and-individuals-is-that/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [My boys told me they'd rather play than practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smith/my-boys-told-me-they-d-rather-play-than-practice/) [Jimmy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smith/) > [By in large in this country the issue of gay rights and equality should be past the point of debate. Really, there should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/by-in-large-in-this-country-the-issue-of-gay-rights-and-equality/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [It's kind of a shame that it's even an issue. Not being gay, I can't fully appreciate how complicated that is. In the article,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wolf/it-s-kind-of-a-shame-that-it-s-even-an-issue-not-being-gay-i-can-t/) [Scott Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wolf/) > [“Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-me-are-wrong-there-s-nothing/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [I think I have a very good reputation amongst the gay population and among the whole country because I stood up on the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-think-i-have-a-very-good-reputation-amongst-the-gay-population-and/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Equal rights should not be a partisan political issue - so why are all gay leaders in one political party?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/equal-rights-should-not-be-a-partisan-political-issue-so-why-are-all/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [No one told me about boys. I had to figure it out myself. The first thing I learned was that sometimes they grow slower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-anaya/no-one-told-me-about-boys-i-had-to-figure-it-out-myself-the-first/) [Elena Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-anaya/) > [“She was beaten to death, I once told some boys at a party. Oh shit mate, they said. I lie about how you died,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-porter/she-was-beaten-to-death-i-once-told-some-boys-at-a-party-oh-shit-mate/) [Max Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-porter/) ## More by Gregory Martin > [“What a gift, the gift of recognition. The gift of permission. Be who you are. It means everything, and when others who matter give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-martin/what-a-gift-the-gift-of-recognition-the-gift-of-permission-be-who-you/) [Gregory Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-martin/) > [“The past cannot be lost in the present. Not even memories were lost, because memories are not fixed but ever-changing, because memories do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-martin/the-past-cannot-be-lost-in-the-present-not-even-memories-were-lost/) [Gregory Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-martin/) [Explore all 3 Gregory Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-martin/) ## More Gay marriage quotes > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I have many gay friends who don't support gay marriage either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-creighton/i-have-many-gay-friends-who-don-t-support-gay-marriage-either/) [Lucinda Creighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-creighton/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“...screaming about your rights as an American while rockin' the confederate flag is like arguing against gay marriage with a dick in your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/screaming-about-your-rights-as-an-american-while-rockin-the/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) > [At the heart of the gay marriage argument is an untruth: unions of two men or women are not the same as unions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/at-the-heart-of-the-gay-marriage-argument-is-an-untruth-unions-of-two/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Sooner or later they are going to live in a New York City where gay marriage is not only legal, but it's common and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-weiner/sooner-or-later-they-are-going-to-live-in-a-new-york-city-where-gay/) [Anthony Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-weiner/) > [ A lot of people \[are\] saying civil union," Faried told KDVR. "I don't like it being called that because I can get married to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-faried/a-lot-of-people-are-saying-civil-union-faried-told-kdvr-i-don-t-like/) [Kenneth Faried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-faried/) > [Marriage is a civil right. If you don't want gay people to marry in your church, good for you. But you can't say they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bond/marriage-is-a-civil-right-if-you-don-t-want-gay-people-to-marry-in/) [Julian Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bond/) > [If only catholic priests put as much effort into protecting children from pedophile colleagues as they do fighting gay marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-catholic-priests-put-as-much-effort-into-protecting-children/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-american-people-intuitively-understand-this-which-is-why-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“the left had been finessing labels for years: racial preferences to affirmative action to diversity; abortion rights to pro-choice to reproductive rights; global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/the-left-had-been-finessing-labels-for-years-racial-preferences-to/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [Why shouldn't gay people be allowed to be able to marry? Those against gay marriages say marriage should only be between a man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/why-shouldn-t-gay-people-be-allowed-to-be-able-to-marry-those-against/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us. Society is stronger when we make vows to each other and we support each other. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/conservatives-believe-in-the-ties-that-bind-us-society-is-stronger/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [We just need the laws to change - it's 2012," JWoww said to MTV News. "I want to see my best friend get married,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwoww/we-just-need-the-laws-to-change-it-s-2012-jwoww-said-to-mtv-news-i/) [JWoww](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jwoww/) [Browse all 581 Gay marriage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys anything. I had not told them that their grandfather was gay. I wanted to. I wanted them to know. 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