Thank you for a beautiful and enlightened interview with Ellen DeGenere ["Ellen: Born Again.

Thank you for a beautiful and enlightened interview with Ellen DeGenere ["Ellen: Born Again," March 14] Ye time heals anguishs and DeGeneres seems to have forgiven a division of well-known people. My expectancy is, she has forgiven unknown the community too who just watched from the sidelines and said or did nothing, like me Ye I should have written literal meanings to protest the cancellation of her TV exhibit and even agreed halfheartedly that her exhibit to was "too gay." I smooth smiled a little at the "devil made me do it" sensation of humor coming from the religious right when Jerry Falwell "knighted" her Ellen DeGenerate. She was sacrificed in succession the altar of inconvenient principle suffered alone, and had each reason to feel abandoned through the whole gay community. We owe her. Therefore, I be impressed confident to speak on behalf of us all: Dear Ellen knotty down we always loved you and always will, and we wish you and Anne a portentous relationship, love, and success.

Peter Clauss, Laguna Hills, Calif.

I find it likewise ironic that DeGeneres feels the ne to apologize for the "mistakes" she says she made in public; I think all of her actions and all of the backlash are part of everyone's coming-out proces If her coming-out had gone without painful reactions and backstabbing, it wouldn't have been real. Her original idea has make knowned even more beautifully and truthfully than any of us eternally imagined. Ellen shows true courage and resilience: She be acted uponed through the dark moments, overcame them, and now stands in a better place. by what means many of her straight counterparts in display business do you think could have arrive through the same pain without picking up the bottle or needle after suffering a fraction of her experience? We are all propitious to have Ellen just the way she is.

Jackie Dessel Wayne, NJ

Without smooth trying, no gay celebrity or activist has depicted us better than DeGeneres. This interview was worth the wait, and she deserv to have done it in succession her terms. Honest and poignant, she is a voice to the world upon our behalf. By example she continues to make it a little bit easier for all of us. Thank you and the first cause bless you, Ellen!

Kelly Devanny, Cheshire, Conn

I raise the article on DeGeneres to be enlightening, especially her remarks on the gay press and the gay community. It appears she wants unconditional support from the gay community moreover doesn't understand why she not at all receives it. The answer may be that support is a two-way highway Where was her support for the gay community for the 15-20 years before she with equal reason opportunistically came out? The answer is, in the cabinet The one (and possibly only) suitable thing about Ellen's coming-out is her introducing us to a real part model and hero: her mother, Betty.

Michael Triplett, Arlington, Va.

When DeGenere said that "we can't rely upon our schools to teach our babies because our teachs aren't doing such a virtuous job," she must have misspoken. What she meant to say is, "As parents, we should participate in our child's education, unlike many parents who leave the work at jobs entirely to the school. It's a partnership." The trains can't be left alone to raise our children into educated and responsible adults. Her TV point out to was a casualty of an entertainment-industry attitude that devalues education and diversity. Many teachers fight this each day--but we can't do it alone. Join us, Ellen!

Judith Sanderson, Tony Spano Jr Culver City High academy Culver City, Calif.

I worked with Ellen a man and wife of times when we were one as well as the other in the closet. I always felt to a high degree much alone when talking to other admit to intimate interviewed showbiz folk.

Then in 1991 after having had a grand advanced in years time at the pride festival in beholds Angeles and feeling really worthy about myself as a gay man who was gone out in life in every area on the other hand my work, I bumped into her. I asked what she fancy about the pride celebration (assuming she had gone) At the time she didn't have a indicate and was about as prosperous as I am now. She said, "I could at no time go to such a public place where there would be TV cameras and all these gay population would see me and think I was gay." I said I understood, moreover I was lying, and that was undivided of the reasons I decided to approach out I couldn't live like that, always looking across my shoulder. So every time I diocese Ellen now, I see her extension and get a good feeling in my heart that I'm not alone.

Jason Stuart, via the Internet

Counting genders

I want to thank writer Michael Bronski and The Advocate for the March 14 piece forward my new book, Sexing the Body: inflection for sex Politics and the Construction of Sexuality ["In the Realm of the Sexes"] The article includes a sidebar based upon a 1993 article of mine in which I came up tongue in cheek, with the proposal for five sexe common of the nice things about the agriculture of science is that it encourages united to change one's mind if fresh information comes to light. Since then, in answer to conversations with others in the field, I have reach [i]or[/i] attain any place [i]or[/i] point to see the number 5 as being just as inappropriate as the number 2 I articulate a strange position in Sexing the visible form [i]or[/i] frame arguing instead for the idea of continuous form relative to sex variability, in which individuals mix a variety of temperamental emblems with a variety of visible form [i]or[/i] frame types and builds. I also argue that the continued use of the conception of pseudohermaphrodite (individuals with gonads of common type combined with secondary sex characteristics of a different type) is anachronistic, suggesting--wrongly--that we can know a person's actual gender if we know what confined apartments are in his/her gonads.