To Solomon's mother and most of society, homosexuality was an "illness" that could not bring happiness to the individual and those closest to him or her. Solomon's own mother could not accept her son's differences and horizontal identity. Parental intolerance of these identities places a huge burden on individuals who wish to obtain happiness; their actions become restricted and their self-confidence is harmed due to a dearth of acceptance towards difference. In addition to his family dilemma, Solomon also constantly faced a plethora of injustices from his community when he was growing up. Solomon states in his earlier years, "I was merely called 'faggot' on the bus and at school, often within hearing distance of teachers who raised no objections Homophobia was ubiquitous in the 1970s, but the smug culture of my school delivered a sharply honed version of it" (Solomon 377). Although culture does not always dictate a person's lifestyle and future, it certainly places a significant onus upon horizontal groups that are constantly rejected from the community. The constant teasing and hatred directed toward Solomon in his adolescent years exemplify the world's refusal to accept people's external traits that differ from the majority. Similar to Solomon's life, Matthew Shepard was also renounced by his community and faced physical attacks due to his homosexuality. " Matt remained tied to the fence and wouldn't be found until Wednesday evening We'd learn all that, and learn that Matt's sexuality was woven through all of it. Those facts reached us swiftly, but making sense of them took much longer" (Loffreda 236). Matthew Shepard was denied his right to live exclusively due to his homosexuality. His assailants took their hatred of his horizontal identity to the highest degree possible and ended his future. The attacks on both Solomon and Matthew illustrate society's power to potentially hinder an individual's ability to experience happiness if they do not seek assistance.