For many years, Antonio held on to the promise that the inexplicable attraction he noticed toward others of his same sex would disappear. As he grew up, a book given to him by an aunt—perhaps because “she could sense it”—told him that what he was feeling was a phase, something common among teenagers; something that, with time, would “go away.” The man, now 73 years old, remembers finding comfort in those pages. Back then, he would repeat to himself, like a prayer: “It’s okay, this will pass”.