Homosexuality is the main theme. Stranger at the Gate is the autobiography of Mel White that heavily emphasizes White's lifelong struggle with his sexuality. White is a homosexual and grew up having no interest whatsoever in women in the 1950s in Santa Cruz, at a time when almost no one knew anything about homosexuality, much less his family. White's family was very conservative and very serious evangelical Christians. They seemed to never suspect that White had no sexual or romantic interests in girls. Somehow White was able to hide his feelings for decades until, finally, stress and depression began to overwhelm him.