The Straight Ally: Daniel Tepfer's Journey to Full-Time Advocate Began with a Life-Changing Admission and an Ingrained Tendency to Serve

Beginning of article

Retired Air Force Colonel Daniel Tepfer has gotten used to people coming out of the closet. First it was his college-age daughter who exited while attending Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Then Tepfer says he and his wife, Nancy, had a similar experience, opening up about their daughter to friends, co-workers, neighbors and people in the community. In his full-time volunteer gig with PFLAG (Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays), he has found that this gradual "coming out" is a common occurrence among families with LGBT kids.

PFLAG is a national nonprofit with more than 200,000 members and supporters (about 60% straight allies and 40% gay chapter members), …