Dear Crawford:

Welcome back and congratulations for coming out to all your family and friends as a gay man. Next to do is to bring out of you the authentic person that you are, bring him out in the context of family and friends.

You don’t know how to greet a friend authentically. Why don’t you practice in front of a mirror when you are alone, take your time and practice. Greet this way, see how you look and sound when you do. Try a different way. Which greeting do you approve/ feel comfortable with? Choose the one and practice it in front of the mirror or film yourself so that you can watch and hear yourself.

Next practice with the friend, again and again. If you feel comfortable with a particular friend, you can do the whole choosing of the greeting and practicing with the friend’s help.

anita