Help, my 17 year old son is gay

I saw this on an advice column called "Tell Me About It" with Carolyn Hax. It was good advice that I hope this mother takes:

Washington, D.C.: Yesterday I found my 17-year-old son's weblog. It was under an alias, but I know his screen name. I was shocked to see explicit sexual language. I was also shocked to find out he is gay. Of course I can't talk to him about what I found, but I can't look at him the same way any more. (yesterday he asked me why I was looking at him that way) The language means he's not my innocent boy any more. And I'm mad that he didn't tell me, but seems to be out to all his friends. What next?

Carolyn Hax: This is going to sound insensitive because it's typed instead of spoken, but if you were really expecting an innocent boy, 17 is a little old. Regardless of what he's actually done, the language has been around for years. I know, he's your kid, hard to think of him that way, but mommy-curdling words have likely been flying around since he was 12, 13, 14. Maybe before that, even.

That warm reassurance aside (ahem), what matters here is that you now know he is gay. What next is: Love. Love him just as he is. Love him, love him. And, look at him. He's still your son, and still everything else you've always known, always felt and always thought about him.

He doesn't have to know you know (though if his blog is public, I can't see why your finding it has to stay secret). What he does need is a mother who accepts him fully as-is. Instead of being mad, just make sure you're the mom he can trust enough to tell. If you are, he will.