If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more. Opinions are the writer’s own and not those of Blavity's. ____ This time of year always reminds me of the moment I was caught “sneak-watching” re-runs of Queer As Folk by my mother during the holiday break. What could have been a moment that scarred me for life was handled with immense grace and served as my first lesson in bravery. Instead of casting a cloud of shame, she invited me to watch the show that explored the explicit and sex-positive dynamics found in gay culture. These were the first days of the DVR and slightly before the widely popularized “Google it” era. I’ll never forget the solace I felt watching this overtly gay television series and feeling seen by the only person that mattered in my adolescent world. (Yes, I was very much a mama’s person.) Long gone are the days of me hiding behind the “channel recall”...