A simple pen pal assignment changed my life forever. Growing up with a name like Joey, it wasn't unusual to be mistaken for a boy on paper. And that's what happened when Gavin Gold's teacher passed on his letter to me, assuming he was being matched with a boy.
Those letters became my safe place. A place where tomboy Joey could tell a stranger all the girly things that I couldn't tell anyone else and Gavin shared his nerdy side with me.
Even...