He continued, "Over time, this abstract 'knowing' grew and articulated itself through a painful gestation marked by feelings of despair and alienation, ending in a climax of saying three words out loud: 'I am gay'. I said them to myself at first, to see how they felt.
"They rang true, and I hated myself for them. I was twelve. It would take me a few years before I could repeat them to anyone else, in the meantime turning the phrase over and over in my mouth until I felt comfortable and sure enough to let the words pour out again, this time to my family.."
Carver celebrated the fact that he comes from a family who was very accepting of who he is, but understand that's not the case for everybody in his situation. He also made mention that there were plenty of things about "coming out" that rubbed him the wrong way.