My half-a-cent:
Colorado Springs is the headquarters of Focus on James Dobson, oops, I mean, Focus on the Family. Some consider it the capital of evangelicalism. If Boulder is the Berkeley, Colorado Springs is the Orange County.The fact that there is one specific high school with a specific zero-tolerance policy (wtf? Why isn't that EVERY BLOODY SCHOOL???) that you can send kids off to if they get bullied indicates that there is an obvious need in the community for this, as much as anything.
I should get him into STO. But his education is first and foremost. Maybe I should buy him a computer for his birthday in a few weeks. His mom, my sister, is totally awesome as are the rest of his family. And actually Teagyn was called Mini-Me (meaning Mini Shawn) for a long time. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's a very good thing that he's come to this decision and has decided to share it at such a young age. I too fought it it internally tooth and nail well into my 20's before the emotional exhaustion of leading a double life was just too much. The fact that he feels comfortable enough to share this with his Mother like that indicates that he knows he's going to have support and is very confident about who he is. This will serve him well in the years to come and if it does get too bad at school there's always homeschooling. If he needs some sort of outlet that he can delve into why not invite him to play STO?
Martial arts are a good thing to have but yes, only if he wants to. It can teach him discipline both mental and physical and will be an asset to him if used wisely. The fact that he's coming out at age 10 speaks volumes to his bravery and character.
It makes me excited to know that he'll have support at home. Even though I'm in southern Georgia, my parents never said anything negative to me about being with guys. Unfortunately, they never really said much of anything and I had no support at home until I became serious with my partner and shoved him into my family as an adult.
Life would have been much easier as a kid if I wouldn't have felt like I had to hide things from them. I'm happy that hopefully she can keep that relationship and communication open. That's a huge advantage for him.
You get my four cents (two per topic):
Colorado, like California, is a state where there are some really conservative spots and some really liberal spots. You have cities like Boulder, which is full of hippies who can give Berkeley a run for its liberal money, and then you have areas like the rural southern farmlands that have more in common with the deep South. Colorado Springs is, from what little I saw of it and what I've read, is conservative, but not ridiculously religious. I know that it was one of the cities that started to really embrace the Tea Party's politics, then paid for it a year later when they had to stop things like nursery care and street lights. However, if this high school has a zero tolerance bullying policy, it must not be that conservative. If you've ever been to California's Orange County, I think it's a lot like that.
With regard to kiddkasper's suggestion, martial arts can be a great outlet for a gay person and a teenager. It teaches discipline, helps with physical fitness, and works wonders at relieving stress and getting your mind off whatever is bugging you. The ability to defend oneself is also very helpful, if only for the confidence it bestows in a variety of situations.
That said, it may not be for your nephew. A person has to WANT to pursue a martial art to reap the benefits. If your nephew is not inclined toward it, it shouldn't be forced on him. Additionally, the type of person the sensei/instructor is makes a huge difference. Some sensei are amazing people while others can be complete assholes who teach through fear instead of respect. (Most, in my experience, are thankfully the better type.)
So in short, I'm all for suggesting the martial art route, but it won't be a magic bullet. If your nephew does take one up, I would advise your sister to sit in on at least the first few classes and keep tabs on if her son is actually enjoying it.
One other thought (sorry, this is going longer than I intended). One big thing that will really help your nephew is if he can have something where he can truly express himself. Something, anything, where he can release stress, throw himself in, and do it with others. Forming those connections, with himself and with others, is going to be one of the best things that can be done to make sure he becomes a healthy adult.
Just my 2 cents. But, I think his parents being supportive will help a lot. The fact that he felt comfortable enough to tell his mom and that they were able to talk says a lot. My father died when I was 4 so I only grew up with my mother. I came out to her when I was 15 even though I knew long before that. There were many things that she didn't understand. But I always knew that she had my back.
The other good thing is that they are planning on putting him into a school that has a zero tolerance policy. I don't think that's going to completely eliminate all possibilities of him being harrased (ie. outside of school and home) But I think it will help a lot.
I think if your nephew truly understands that there are people in the world that love and support him, that will go a long way. What is hopefully a last resort that will never have to be used, here are some sources of more support:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/cryforhelp/episodes/resources/hotlines-and-web-sites-for-teens/11/
The gas is explained in the game lore/show lore.
So we have to play the game to get a better understanding of the show?
I think not.