In August 1983, a 20-year-old named Bobby Griffith shot and killed himself. His mother, Mary Griffith, was a devout Christian. When Bobby had revealed his homosexuality to her, she responded with deep anxiety and attempted to cure him. But upon her son's suicide, Mrs. Griffith did not fear for his soul, but for the idea that her reprimands had contributed to his depression. As she struggled with her grief and guilt, she discovered that her strict religious beliefs were not sufficient to help her cope. She sought out ministers and other religious parents who were sympathetic to gay rights and eventually became known as a gay rights activist.

A parody of scholarly and scientific journals, this book includes a proposal to save the Grand Canyon by filling it with Styrofoam peanuts, an examination of the role of Jell-O in the disappearance of the dinosaurs, and a look at why men's beards trigger hysteria in cats.