Sally Field made us love her even more when she talked about her gay son, Sam Greisman, at a Human Rights Campaign gala in 2012.

Now the Oscar winner is standing up for equality again in a letter calling for support for HRC's efforts to stop legislation aimed at discriminating against LGBT Americans.

Field says that despite her acting accolades raising her three sons—Sam, and brothers Eli and Peter—are her greatest accomplishments. "The three things I'm most proud of in my life are my sons," she wrote. "They are kind, loving and productive people. Each with their own list of talents and accomplishments. Sam is my youngest son, by 18 years, and he’s gay. To that, I say: So what?"

In the letter, she recalls the unique path Sam took to becoming an out gay man:

Growing up, Sam wanted desperately to just be like his older brothers - athletic, rambunctious and even a little bit macho. He wanted to beat Eli at tennis, trounce Peter at computer football and learn everything about every basketball player on the court.

But Sam was different. And his journey to allow himself to be what nature intended him to be was not an easy one.

When I saw him struggling, I wanted to jump in. But his older brothers held me back. They told me I couldn't travel that road for Sam. It was his to travel, not mine. I had to wait for him to own himself in his own time. I could make it easier only by standing visibly to the side, clearly loving him, always being there and always letting him know.

Finally, at 20, long after he beat his brothers at tennis and computer games and knew as much as anyone about basketball, Sam was able to stand up proudly and say, “I am a gay man."

Field wrote that it was "one of the great privileges of my life to have been allowed to be a part of Sam's journey."

HRC is aiming to raise $150,000 by the end of March to fight "religious freedom" bills around the country that would sanction denying goods and services to LGBT on religious grounds.

‘There are people out there—organizations and politicians, strangers who have never even met Sam—who would rather devote themselves to denying his happiness," Field writes. "Why would anyone want to prevent my son—or anyone's son or daughter—from having basic legal safeguards like family medical leave, Social Security survivors benefits, or health insurance? It doesn't make any sense—but it won't change until people speak out."

Below, Field receiving HRC's Ally For Equality Award in 2012, and talking about Sam.