Different but still the same

Growing up Alison and her father Bruce were very different people but were also very similar in certain ways. Alison growing up was a “tomboy”, she found herself to be more masculine that her own father. Her own cousins nicknamed her Butch, “hey Butch think fast,” (pg. 96). While on the other hand her father was somewhat of a sissy. She said that her father found comfort in flowers and decorating, he wanted his entire house to be covered with flowers inside and out. Alison says, “what kind of man but a sissy could possibly love flowers this ardently?” (Pg. 90). Alison apparently at a young age could not figure out why her father was so sissy-like, while herself was more of a “man” than her own father. As Alison began to grow up and really began to see the differences between her and her father, Alison states, “But I wanted the muscles and tweed like my father wanted the velvet and pearls—subjectively for myself,” (pg. 99). With Alison she felt comfortable with who she was and how she looked. She would figure out that she was into girls, and would become a lesbian at fairly a young age. While her father on the other hand always knew he had feelings for the same sex, (he was gay), but was both embarrassed and afraid to express his true feelings because of fear of how people would react towards him. And in the end Alison believes that her father killed himself because he was a manic-depressant and clearly could not handle living a doubled life anymore. While Alison choose to be honest with her feelings, and allowed her to be happy, and who is currently living a happy and healthy life and who is a proud to be a member of the gay community.