Same As You.

Everyday at 3pm the automated window blinds raise up, and sunlight pours into the boardroom. The motor on the blinds made a distractingly loud whirring noise that caused a momentary pause in their discussion. Richard Blanchon, the newly elected Chairman, gazed outside where the Hudson river gleamed in the distance. The light made his eyes water.

“What were you saying Rich?” Don Reynolds asked.

“Yes, sorry. As I was saying, I think Adrian is the best candidate we have.”
“How do you figure?”
“He’s smart, and has a polished look. Camera ready, you know what I mean?
“Does he even have a medical degree?”
“No, but that’s not really necessary. He has other highly valuable qualities.”
“Like what?”

“For one thing he’s gay and, you know… not white.”
“He’s not?” Don asked sarcastically.

“Well, he may be partially white or, you know, mixed,” Richard said. 

“His human resources file lists him as White, Black and Native American,” Sandra stated matter-of-factly. 

“I’m confused, how does being so-called ‘diverse’ make Adrian the best candidate? We have applicants with twice as much experience in marketing and communications. And what about Bill Mahoney? Bill has been with the company for ten years in public relations, and he’s a doctor.”

“Bill is trained as a veterinarian. And he’s your cousin,” Richard pointed out.

“How is that relevant? He’s more than qualified.”

“This is about optics, Don. Our company has been historically bad at promoting people of color. How’s it gonna look if we pass up that opportunity to promote your cousin?”

“Why should Bill be punished because he’s related to me?
“Because it doesn’t look good Don.”
“Well I, for one, don’t think race should matter. And what about balls? Does this guy Adrian have what it takes to defend this company from our detractors?”

“Jesus Don, Sandra scoffed. 

“Look, I’m sorry if I’m offending anyone but I still think Bill is a better candidate. He may not meet the criteria from your politically correct handbook, but don’t you think our shareholders care more about the bottom line, than making sure we meet some racial quota?”

“This is not just about fulfilling some quota for human resources. Our new products are targeted specifically to the gay community and people of color. I think you know that. And when these new therapies come out, we will need a new face. Someone to carry us through clinical trials and across the finish line. I think Adrian is the man for this.”
“I don’t suppose there are any women candidates to consider?” Sandra chimed in.

“Sandra, that is not a helpful comment right now,” Rich responded. “You know darn well that we considered lots of men and women to get where we are.”
“I would just like to state for the record this company has an issue promoting women as well.”
“Your comments have been noted Sandra,” Richard said.
“Alright then,” Don conceded. “It sounds like Adrian’s your man. Shall we put it to a vote?” Moments later, by a show of hands, the board of directors voted to make Adrian Howard the new Chief of Marketing and Communications for Mirable Therapeutics.

Four hours south, Adrian sat in a three walled cubicle within a drab concrete building of Washington DC’s Eastern Market neighborhood. He worked as the Communications Director for Mirabel’s government affairs team, which consisted of fifteen people toiling between two floors of fluorescent lighting and beige carpeting.

Adrian fidgeted nervously at his desk. He knew the board would be making a hiring decision soon, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. They’ll probably hire that lackey, piece of shit Bill Mahoney over me, he thought to himself. He watched the clock until about 6pm, when he decided it was time to leave. Having heard no news of the hiring, he prepared himself for disappointment. 

It wasn’t until later that evening, while relaxing on the couch in front of the TV, that his phone rang.  Adrian’s fiance Brandon was making dinner in the kitchen. “Oh hello,” he heard Adrian say. “No, this is not a bad time to speak.” Brandon sensed by the tone in Adrian’s voice that he was receiving good news. He turned down the burner on the stove, set down his spatula and walked toward the living room, where he watched Adrian with great interest.
“Thank you so much Richard,” Adrian said. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. I will see you next week.”When the call ended, Adrian casually tossed the phone on the couch and coyly crossed his legs.

“Well??” Brandon screeched.
Adrian said nothing, teasing Brandon with his silence.
“What happened? Was that the call? Did you get the job?”
Adrian flashed his gleaming white teeth.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“You are looking at the new Chief of Marketing and Communications at Mirable Therapeutics,” Adrian beamed.
“Mirabel promoted you!” That’s incredible.” Brandon was leaping with excitement. “I can’t believe it! I thought you said Bill what’s-his-name was gonna get the job. Isn’t he related to one of the executives?”
“Yeah, but I think there were other factors at play.”

“Other factors like what?”

“Well, the gay thing helps.”

“Excuse me? The gay thing?” Brandon popped a hand on his hip in exaggerated annoyance.
“Yeah well, we have some really groundbreaking HIV treatments coming to market soon, so maybe they wanted someone who understands that market. Plus…” Adrian’s voice went quieter. “Someone in HR told me they were looking for a non-white person.”
“No you didn’t!” Brandon squealed. “You said you weren’t white?”

“I may have checked bi-racial on my application.”

“Lord help you.”

“Excuse me, but I am part West African and part Native American Cherokee. You saw my Ancestry DNA results.”
“I don’t need a DNA test to know a white boy when I see one. Aren’t you like three percent Cherokee and even less African?!”

“Can’t you just be happy for me? We should be celebrating.”

“I’m only teasing you babe.” Brandon wrapped his arms around Adrian and planted a pouty kiss on his lips. “But from now on I will be calling you by your Indian name.”
“What’s that?”

“Chief Bull-Shitting, Head of Marketing.”

“Oh, shut up!” Adrian gave him a playful smack on the arm.

Adrian hit the ground running in his new role. He moved from a cubicle to a windowed office, and by six months was enjoying a whirlwind of success. Since his promotion, Mirable Therapeutics developed two new genetic therapies to combat HIV and sickle cell anemia that had the potential to change the landscape of modern medicine. As the marketing officer, Adrian blanketed the airwaves with advertisements geared toward the LGBT community and African Americans. He also inundated the media with positive stories of Mirabel’s groundbreaking developments. 

His plan to publicize the company’s success culminated on a Sunday evening in April, when Adrian had secured a profile of Mirabel on the coveted lead segment of CBS’s 60 Minutes.

Adrian and Brandon watched the show from the comfort of their living room. “It’s about to start!” Adrian called from the couch.
“The clock is ticking! Why do you always get up right when the show is about to start?”
“I wanted to pour a drink,” Brandon called back from the kitchen. “Turn it up.”

From the television, the familiar baritone voice of veteran reporter Scott Pelley introduced the segment.

“Over the last year Mirable Therapeutics went from a third tier drug manufacturer into a household name. That’s thanks in large part to their biomedical research teams and a gene editing tool called CRISPR. In February, Mirabel introduced a single dose vaccine for the prevention of HIV transmission, and a new genetic therapy that can cure and prevent sickle-cell anemia. But the company is not ready to stop there. Here is Sandra Prescott, the Chief Scientific Officer and President for Worldwide Research at Mirabel.”

“Sickle cell is just one of many things that can be treated with gene therapy. It is our belief that this year HIV-1 infection can be eliminated through long-acting viral reservoir–targeted antiretroviral therapy and viral genome excision,” she stated.
The camera cut back to Scott who was nibbling on the earpiece of his glasses. “You’re going to cure HIV with gene editing?” he asked.
“Yes,” Sandra replied confidently.

“Tonight,” Scott continued. “60 minutes takes you behind the scenes of Mirabel research labs, to show how gene editing works. Later in the broadcast, Bill Whitaker speaks with retiring basketball legend Lebron James.

The camera cuts to Bill and Lebron inside the Staples Center.
“Jordan, Kobe, Magic, Bird… where do you rank yourself among the greatest players of all time?”

“Bill, what a question. I’d like to think I’m up there.” Lebron dribbles a ball he was carrying. “But maybe that’s not for me to decide.”

“Those stories tonight on 60 Minutes.”

“Wow,” Brandon remarked, taking a slurp of his drink. “The lead story! You guys beat out Lebron James. You’re gonna be an office hero on Monday.”

Brandon was right. The week after the 60 Minutes piece aired, the company stock price soared through the roof, and best of all, Adrian was invited to a mysterious meeting with the company CEO at Mirabel headquarters. He made arrangements to travel to New Jersey, and Brandon decided he would tag along for a visit to the city. They took the Acela from Union Station in DC to Manhattan. It was about a three hour trip, where they both favored riding in the designated “quiet car.” Adrian liked to get work done in peace and Brandon liked the opportunity to lecture people for talking where they shouldn’t. Brandon booked The Standard High Line Hotel in the Meat Packing district, after googling, “gay friendly hotels in New York City.” Adrian didn’t object since it was directly across the river from the office.

Their room was compact, but the view outside their window made up for the lack of space. “Maybe you’re getting a raise,” Brandon said as they unpacked their suitcases. “It has to be good news if they made you come all the way up to Jersey for the meeting.”

“The way things are going, everyone should get a raise,” Adrian replied.
“Good. I’ve been looking for a reason to quit my job and become a house-husband anyway,” he joked.

“Let’s not go crazy,” Adrian said. “If we move to New York we’re gonna need two incomes.”

“I’d be happy to live modestly on one big income,” Brandon said with a devilish grin. “So let me know how it turns out.”

The following day, Adrian arrived at the headquarters promptly at noon and was escorted to the boardroom. Sandra and Richard were already seated at the far end of a long oval table.
“Adrian, please have a seat,” Richard said gesturing toward any one of the fourteen swiveling chairs placed around the table. Adrian took the chair next to Sandra.

“I’ll cut to the chase,” he said.  “As you know, Mirabel had an auspicious start to the year, and that is very likely to continue. Financially we are doing well, but this coming year may be rockier than expected. Some of the new CRISPR therapies have run afoul of the bioethical community at The World Health Organization and the FDA. They are seeking to halt some of our clinical trials underway in China.”
“Which trials?” Adrian asked. “I wasn’t aware we were doing new trials in China.”

“We have been keeping them low-profile. We aren’t breaking any laws, but the studies are controversial.”
“Controversial how?”

“It’s really quite remarkable,” Sandra said. “Mirabel has been able to conduct the largest genome-wide association study in history. We partnered with 23andMe and Ancestry DNA and a handful of other genetic testing companies, and the data is overwhelming. We have found SNPs and genetic markers for all kinds of physical characteristics, behaviors, diseases and disorders. These mail-away DNA testing kits offer discounted rates if you fill out personalized questionnaires about everything from eye color, to baldness to sexual behavior.”

“Yes, I’ve used a DNA kit before,” Adrian said.

“Many people have,” Sandra continued. “Ancestry DNA alone provided us with the profile of over three million individuals. Within this data set we successfully identified four genetic markers within the Xq28, the chromosomal segment linked to same-sex attraction in men. Assuming that individuals are truthful in their questionnaire, genetic markers can explain 88% of variation in sexual behavior in men and 62% in women. But if we assume people are lying on their questionnaires, we may have actually isolated the genes that cause same-sex attraction with even greater certitude.”
“Slow down,” Adrian said. “Are you saying that you’ve discovered a gene that makes people gay?”

“Genes are what make us what we are,” Sandra replied. “In these trials, we have found that gene therapy can actually resolve sexual deviation, and redirect physical attraction.”

“Resolve?” Adrian asked.
“Change them,” she clarified.

“You’re gonna cure homosexuality?” Adrian asked, perplexed.
“I would not say cure,” Richard interjected. “We have isolated the genes that propel our physical desires. Right now we are merely experimenting with what is possible.”
“This can’t be legal,” Adrian surmised. 

“We are in uncharted territory here. The FDA is not likely to allow this type of testing but these clinical trials are not necessarily under US jurisdiction.”
“So that’s why we are doing clinical trials in China?”

“Yes.”
“Why wasn’t I told. Why are we hiding this?”
“We didn’t want to incite an ideological battle that might have impeded our progress.”
“Has anyone ever stopped to ask if this is something we should be doing at all. I mean, curing homosexuality is not exactly a noble pursuit in my book.”

Richard stood up from the table. “You know Adrian,” he said rubbing his chin, as if to begin a lecture. “In the 15th century Leonardo Da Vinci began dissecting dead bodies to gain a better understanding of the human form, not only for art but for medicine. At the time, dissection was illegal and considered blasphemous in the eyes of the church. But those dissections allowed Da Vinci to create art that was both beautiful and anatomically correct. His art and his dissections were critical to the advancement of science. Think of where we would be if science was unencumbered by the limitations set upon us by religion or by government. Should Da Vinci have obeyed those laws?”

“I supposed not but…”

“I’ll give you a more recent example,” Richard said, cutting him off.  “If we had begun stem cell research with human embryos fifty years ago, think of what might be possible today. Think of the progress we could have made if politicians did not interfere. We lost years of research because of misguided laws. This isn’t just about one study that identifies the gay gene, its about knowledge. Do you want to side with the bible thumping fear mongers, or do you want to side with Da Vinci? Do you want to uncover the limits of what is possible? 

“I really don’t know what to say to that,” Adrain replied. “Frankly, I think the Bible thumping fear mongers might support these experiments. That’s what scares me.”

“Adrian,” Don said gently. “This is where matters become delicate. We know the World Health Organization wants to stop us, and they’re gonna enlist the help of many friendly politicians. Mirabel has decided that we are pursuing this fight, and we will be proceeding with these trials. Is this something you are comfortable with?”

“I dunno,” Adrian shifted uncomfortably.

“We need to know if you are with us,” Don said. “As soon as these trials become public, someone in your position will be on the frontlines of our defense. If you are not comfortable with this, I completely understand. But if you’re with us, you need to be with us all the way.”
“You want me to help market a cure for gayness?”

“No, Adrian. We want you to defend our liberties.”

“I just…” Adrian paused. “I thought we would be curing HIV,” Adrian said.

“That is still underway,” Sandra replied.
“Adrian, this is still the company that cures diseases. When we cure HIV, when we cure muscular dystrophy, you will have played your part on this team.”

“How can I be a part of a team that sees homosexuality as a disorder?”

“No one has said that,” Sandra snapped.

“We are not setting out to portray homosexuality as a disorder,” Don said. “Suppose our therapy works, and people can change their sexual orientation. Is that so bad? This is about choices. Some people might opt to change themselves and many will not. As I said, this is going to be a large scale debate, and we need someone who can help shape public opinion. We have the resources Adrian, and most importantly we have righteousness. What we need is a face to lead this fight. This will require a lot of time and energy which of course you will be compensated for. What do you say?”

Adrian looked out the boardroom window. A low fog covered the river, and barely visible raindrops trickled to the ground.

“I’m still unsure,” he said, tentatively.
“You would be defending science Adrian,” he said pausing a moment. “And we are prepared to triple your salary.”

“Okay,” Adrian said reluctantly. “I’ll do it.”

By midsummer things began to heat up in Washington DC, literally and figuratively. The city was so hot and humid it was like living inside a giant mouth. Adrian had given up biking to the office in favor of an air-conditioned car ride, one of the many perks of his increased salary. And, of course, once news broke of Mirabel’s clandestine clinical trials, the office was reeling from a torrent of negative press. 

On July 4th, America celebrated its 250th birthday, and Washington DC was the epicenter of the celebration – but Adrian had no time to join in the festivities. That morning Trupti Vaid, a bioethicist at the World Health Organization, penned an explosive op-ed in the New York Times calling for an end to all experimentation on sexual orientation, and further demanded sanctions on Mirable Therapeutics if they were to continue. The piece ended with co-signatures from a long list of doctors and ethicists from organizations like UNESCO, WMA, and the NIH.

Reaction to the piece was vocal and rancorous. Social media overflowed with opinion and debate raged on cable news. The airways were filled with breathless, talking heads from both sides of the aisle which included elected officials, queer activists, libertarians and religious opportunists. Many in the LGBT community felt betrayed by Mirabel, a company that had set out to tackle the HIV/AIDs epidemic but now presented a threat to their very existence.

Several countries such as Britain and Canada and The United States began moving legislation to preemptively ban any genetic therapy that would change sexual orientation. 

The conflict reached fever pitch, when Adrian decided to make a public response on cable news. Seeking a friendly venue for his television debut, he called his cousin Alexis who was working as a segment producer on Fox News’ Straight Talk with Martha Rooney.  Although Martha had a reputation as the bimbo of primetime, her show was immensely popular and Adrian hoped the conservative audience would be more receptive to his arguments. The show agreed to a debate format, where Adrian was slated to appear opposite Dr. Vaid, the de facto opposition leader of gay conversion thearpy. Adrian practiced talking points for two days straight before his live appearance.

“Thank you for tuning in,” Martha said as she introduced the segment. “We have a very special show planned for you tonight. Joining us this evening are two of the most influential figures in the bioethical debate over testing on sexual orientation. Doctor Trupti Vaid, a bioethicist from the World Health Organization is here, and for the first time, Mr. Adrian Howard the Chief Marketing Officer and spokesman for Mirable Therapeutics. Thank you both for joining us.”

Bright lights illuminated Adrian’s face in the small DC studio that overlooked the Capitol Dome in Washington DC. His smile was even more strikingly handsome on camera, which masked his nervousness. The segment began as a civil discussion, but devolved quickly.
“There is a reason the FDA has banned these trials,” Dr. Vaid said firmly, as her brows furrowed above a set of half-moon glasses. “Mirabel is looking to eradicate homosexuality, and it is abhorrent.”

“We are not eradicating anything,” Adrian responded. “Sexuality is deeply personal, and we are providing people with options. And I for one do not believe that the government or any bioethicist should be the arbiter of what we do to our own bodies. As you may know, I am gay, and what I choose to do with my body is my choice alone. Similarly if a woman wants to augment her breasts to improve her life, should they not be allowed to do so?”

“Excuse me!” Martha gasped. “I know you are not comparing genetic engineering to breast augmentation.” It was obvious to any loyal viewer why the bucksome newshost was particularly defensive on that particular topic.  At Fox News she had never been afraid to show off her own augmented parts. “Women have the right to have confidence in their body,” Martha proclaimed boldly.

“Perhaps that was a flippant analogy,” Adrian conceded. “But let me ask you; do you believe a person has the right to change their gender? Is sexual reassignment surgery something you would support for the transgender community?”

“Of course” Dr. Vaid spat.

“So, if a transgender person wants to use surgery or genetic therapy to change their gender, you would support that? As a bioethicist? 

“I would.”
“Dr. Vaid, if you support a person’s right to change their physical gender, it stands to reason that you should support a person’s desire to change the gender to which they are attracted. What is the difference?”

“The difference, Mr. Howard, is that transgender people are trying to become their true selves. They want their bodies to match their identity. What you want to do is change who people are. Being gay isn’t a condition that needs curing. In fact, the cure which you are providing is worse than the problem it purports to fix.”

“I think we can let each individual make that determination,” Adrian said.
“What about that?” Martha said to Dr. Vaid. “Why can’t people decide for themselves?”

“Because not everyone will have a choice.” Dr. Vaid responded. She was now ignoring Adrian and Martha and was pleading directly to the viewing audience. “People will feel pressure to change from all angles. It may not happen right away, but you’ll see that countries with hostile attitudes towards the LGBT community will force this upon people. It will spread from there. If we go down this road, and allow people to edit their genes, then what’s next? Are you gonna let people edit melanin from their skin? Should everyone be the same? Our differences are what make us interesting. We can’t let Mirabel force us to assimilate. We can’t let them determine what is normal and what is good. Diversity is normal. Being gay is normal!”

“She hasn’t answered your question, Martha,” Adrian responded. “It’s your body, it’s your choice. As a gay person and a person who comes from a line of many different skin colors and ethnicities, I have made a personal choice not to change anything about myself. But I don’t want to diminish the choices of others.”

Dr. Vaid fluttered her eyelids in flabbergasted disbelief. She huffed but spoke no words.

“Have you nothing to say?” Adrian asked.
“You want to talk about choice? What about all the people whose data you stole? Did all those people who used Ancestry DNA consent to having their DNA used to wipe out gays and lesbians?”

“Actually, yes.” Adrian said. “Every person in that study was offered a discount under the condition that their data could be used for scientific purposes.”

“You’re an asshole,” Dr. Vaid spat out through barely bleeped audio.  “I hope you know that.”

“Okay,” Martha broke in with flustered haste. “I think we will need to end the discussion there, since we are out of time.”

They both thanked Martha and the bright lights in the tiny studio dimmed. Adrian pulled out his earpiece, stepped down from the platform and switched his phone on. His screen was inundated with messages. Texts from friends and family poured in, and social media mentions buzzed repeatedly. He quickly realized that the interview segment was not well received. He scrolled through Twitter, reading some particularly scathing commentary.

A producer at Fox News tweeted; “Did @AdrianHoward just call himself a person of color? Is my TV broken?” To which another twitter user responded, “Where did you all find this self-loathing gay robot!” Then another tweet came from a face he hadn’t seen in years, “I went to highschool with @AdrianHoward, total phony. I can attest he doesnt speak for the gay community and has never claimed to be a POC.” He read a few more hateful comments before silencing his phone. The issue clearly touched a nerve, and the progressive social bubble in which he lived seemed to be turning against him.

Although media coverage of Mirabel was overwhelmingly negative, polling on public opinion told a different story. Surveys consistently showed that Americans were almost evenly split when asked if gene therapy should be used to change sexual orientation.

Meanwhile, Mirabel continued to announce major medical breakthroughs through the use of their gene editing technology. Sexual orientation therapy was only a fraction of their business, though it occupied a majority of the public attention. Adrian would closely monitor all the press coverage they received. Their strange saga was perhaps best encapsulated by the headlines from that time.

New York Times, July 20th: BREAKTHROUGH! FDA Approves Injectable HIV Vaccine

CBS News, August 3rd: Mirabel Therapeutics Sued for Harvesting Personal Data from DNA Testing Companies

NBC News, August 20th: Human Sexuality Can Be Changed through Gene Editing and Pharmacology 

Fox News, August 22nd: Gene Therapy Makes Homosexuality A Choice

NPR, August 25th: Mirabel Faces Backlash for Gay Conversion Therapies

Wall Street Journal, September 25th: Genetic Therapy Clinics Become Rising Industry

New York Post, October 1st: Pay the Gay Away, Big Pharm Cashes In

Los Angeles Times, October 5th: Gene Therapy Show Promise in Cancer Prevention & Treatment

PBS News, October 6th: Mirabel Seeks to Eradicate Malaria Through CRISPR

ABC News, October 9th: China, Mexico, Philippines and Jamaica Join Growing List of Countries to Allow Gay Conversion

Bloomberg News, October 29th: United States and EU Countries Approve Heavy Sanctions on Mirable Therapeutics

Washington Post, November 2nd: Mirable Therapeutics Removed from NY Stock Exchange

Despite the negative press and harsh economic penalties, Mirabel was turning a huge profit. Their HIV vaccine alone netted several billion dollars in sales. However, gay conversion thearpy didn’t become profitable until Mirabell discovered a way to deliver their therapy with a single injection. Using gene editing tools, scientists were able to reformat the Xq28 genome sequence in homosexuals to emulate that of a heterosexual, and delivered the new genetic code back into the patient using a modified adeno-associated virus. Once inside the body the virus would enter the patient’s cells and replicate an entirely new genetic sequence. What had previously required several doctor visits and a viral blood transfusion lasting over four hours, could now be accomplished with a single shot in the arm. 

Many countries including the United States barred sexual conversion therapy, causing a huge increase in medical tourism. Once the Mexican government voted to approve the new treatment, business exploded. Tijuana became the epicenter of conversion in the Western hemisphere. People from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States sought treatment in droves. In less than a year, Mirabel was catapulted into one of the largest multinational companies in the world. 

Unfortunately for Adrian, things were not so bright. While he was enjoying some lucrative professional success, he was facing complete social ostracization. Friends and family were turning against him. They questioned his ethics, and were reluctant to see him, or return calls and texts. Longtime friends cut ties, and even Brandon was beginning to lose sympathy.

Conversations between Adrian and his fiance became short and curt.
“Are you gonna help me plan this wedding?” Brandon remarked late one night. “Or can you only be married to your work?”

“You know how busy I’ve been,” Adrian pleaded. “I would help more if I could.”

“Don’t even bother,” he snapped back. “The way things are going, I’d be surprised if anyone showed up.”

In early fall, weather in Washington cooled off to the point where outdoor activities became tolerable once more. Adrian and Brandon managed to wrangle a few remaining friends to gather at a downtown gay bar called Trade. They had settled into a booth on the back patio, and started into a round of vodka sodas.
“Was Marcus actually busy tonight?” Adrian asked the group, between gulps of vodka. “Or has he joined the ranks of gays who refuse to be seen with me?” The table responded in silence.

“Must you make things awkward?” Brandon huffed.
“I didn’t mean to make things awkward, I just like to know where I stand with people.”

“Oh you know how Marcus is,” their friend Michael said. “He’s one of those liberals who is always offended by everything.”
“So he hates me? Adrian asked.
“I can’t say that I blame him,” Brandon said as he was already finishing off his first drink.

“Maybe we should talk about something else,” Michael offered. “Like that adorable little twink at the bar.” Michael motioned his head. “He’s yummy.”

The table conspicuously turned in unison

The adorable redheaded boy, probably not much older than twenty-two, couldn’t help but notice his table of admirers. He gave a bashful wave and Michael summoned him with a beckoning finger. He picked up his drink and sashayed over to their booth.
“Hello there,” Michael said as he approached. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Randy,” he said through bright red lips.

“Nice to meet you Randy,” Michael replied. “What have you been up to tonight?”
“My friends and I just came from the drag show downtown,” he said.

“Must’ve been fun,” Adrian said. “You still have some glitter on your face.”

Randy turned to Adrian with a puzzled stare that quickly turned to a frown.

“Don’t I know you?” Randy asked.

“I don’t think so,” Adrian said.

“Yeah I know who you are,” he responded defiantly. “Aren’t you the guy trying to force all the gays to become straight?’

“What?” Adrian exclaimed, recoiling at his blunt confrontation. 

“I’ve seen you on TV,” he pointed a finger directly in Adrian’s face. “You’re that mouthpiece for Mirabel Pharmaceuticals, or whatever.”
“I work for Mirabel, but I’ve never forced anyone to do anything.”
“Mirabel is the worst,” Randy shot back.
“Oh god,” Michael sighed. “There’s no use arguing, Adrian. He’s obviously one of those cancel-culture queens. Why don’t you run along little boy.”

“Cancel culture?” Randy asked incredulously. “Is that a fucking joke? Your friend here is literally the one canceling gay people. Mirabel is profiting off of the erasure of gay people.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Adrian said dismissively.
“I know what Mirabel is trying to do,” Randy said. “Did you ever consider that some people like the way they are? That being gay is just fine? If you think converting gays is such a great idea why don’t you do us all a favor and switch teams yourself?”

“Well, I think I’m the same as you. It’s my choice to be gay and I like it that way.”
“I’m not the same as you at all,” he narrowed his eyes in rage. “I’m not some enabler of corporate genocide.”
“You know what friend,” Brandon said cautiously, attempting to play mediator. “Can’t we just ignore each other? We are not trying to bother anyone here, can we please just have our drink in peace?”
“You can have my drink too,” the redhead said before dumping his cocktail on Adrian’s lap. “Go fuck yourself!”

The confrontation caused such a commotion that other patrons in the bar began to take notice.
“This asshole works for Mirabel!” Randy yelled. It wasn’t long before the entire barjoined in a chorus of taunts and insults hurled at their table. 

Adrian and his friends left the bar humiliated. 

Adrian tried to put on a brave face, but the incident had deeply affected him. Both he and Brandon were forced to further retreat from their social life, which put extra stress on their already precarious relationship. He could feel Brandon’s resentment growing each day. His snide remarks, his eye rolls, and his reluctance to intimacy. Everything seemed to be falling apart. Adrian did his best to stay away from public places to avoid any more in-person confrontations, but he still couldn’t escape the viciousness of his many online critics.

“Mirabel flack @AdrianHoward is a bottom feeding, self-loathing troll. Fuck him, fuck Mirabel and fuck anyone who supports them!” wrote one prominent gay journalist on Twitter.

A lesbian comedian known for her humorless tweets wrote, “Any LGBTQIA folks allowing @AdrianHoward in their friend group is a traitor, and they are complicit in his destruction of the queer community #CancelAdrian.” It was retweeted over 14,000 times.

Heated rhetoric continued to escalate after news reports showed that individuals identifying as LGBT began to noticeably diminish. By April of 2027, estimates showed that the number of gay people dropped 10% nationally, and 27% worldwide. More drastic estimates emerged from regions with hostile attitudes toward homosexuality. Worst of all, reports of ‘forced conversion’ appeared in countries such as Jamaica, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia.

In some areas of the US the rate of conversion was so high that it forced long standing gay bars to close. This was particularly true of small and mid-sized cities in the south. While most bars and LGBT organizations in the major cities remained, the mood inside them had changed. The gay community became noticeably more embittered. What remained of the gay community was focused on activism. By the following summer, the month of gay pride looked much different. The usually festive parades looked more like a protest with riotous displays of emotion. The notion of “pride” had returned to its origins, a month-long demonstration for the right to exist. They held rallies and marches, waving signs that read “Remain Gay” and “Don’t Erase US!” And the focus of their anger inevitably fell to Mirabel, and their posterboy Adrian Howard. 

For Brandon, it had finally become too much to handle. On a Friday evening in late fall, Brandon stood in the entryway of their apartment waiting for Adrian to arrive home from work. His eyes were puffy and red. In his hands he held a neat stack of cream colored stationary.

“Can I talk to you,” he asked, the moment the door cracked open.

Adrian looked up in panicked surprise. “Of course,” he said. He looked at Brandon who was visibly upset. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m unhappy.”
“What do you mean? Unhappy with what?”

“You know ‘with what’,” he screamed. “With everything! You, and your job. Can’t you see what it’s done to us?”

“Baby, I’m sorry. Please let’s sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit down, I want you to listen. Your job is destroying our life.”
“Brandon, I’m sorry but we’ve discussed this a million times. You know that if I didn’t have this job someone else would take my place. If I quit Mirabel tomorrow, nothing would change.”
“Adrian, I am tired of being hated!” he screamed. “Do you see this?” he said, waving the stack of stationary in his hand. “They are all regrets! Do you realize half the guest list of our wedding has declined?”
“It’ll be okay.”
“It won’t be okay. I’m done. I’m sorry but I can’t do it.”
“What do you mean done? You want to call off our wedding? Can’t we fix this?”

“No, we can’t. This isn’t fun anymore.”
“Fun? What’s not fun?”
“Being gay! Being gay is not fun when you are loathed by the entire community!

“Can’t we get through this together?”

Brandon’s demeanor fell from angry to somber. “Adrian, when we first met, I had just come out of the closet. I knew nothing of what it meant to be gay. You showed me a whole new world. For the first time I felt brand new, like we belonged to a special club that was subversive and interesting. We found a group of friends who I loved like family. It was amazing… But now, through some perversion of science, Mirabel has made being gay a choice. And because of my association with you, that family now hates me. All along you have argued that choice is good. Let people choose to be gay or not to be gay you said. Well, Maybe I should just take your stupid conversion shot and choose not be gay anymore.”

“Brandon, please. I know you don’t mean that.”
“You’re probably right,” Brandon sniveled. “I wouldn’t do that. But I am choosing to leave you.”

He pushed past Adrian, and reached for the door. As he left, he let the stationary slip from his fingers and fall to the floor with a weighty plop.