you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

[–]yousaythosethingsFind and Replace "gatekeeping" with "having boundaries" 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I will be curious to hear what my most conservative Catholic family members think of this, as they don’t know I’m gay. Will have to work this into conversation the next time I see them. I actually think they will be rather unfazed.

[–]personwhoknows 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I wouldn't take anything for granted, but I will share a convo I once saw a father and a son exchange (father being old and son being in his 50s), discussing about same-sex-civil-union/marriage. It'll be paraphrased a lot.

F: [disagreeing with it, grumpy]

S: I don't really feel worried about it, civil unions have nothing to do with the church, there's no reason to feel like this is any threat.

Father then decided he had no response. This was a longer exchange/vent but I really can't remember it properly. It was posed as an 'otherness' though, gay =/= catholic, but I'm not sure what the son's views would be if he wasn't trying to convince an old person that this had no impact in their beliefs or life.

I think things will depend highly on the family and the culture. In my experience, most people will feel like it's none of their business. I would also guess some people who are closer might feel uncomfortable, make comments or questions, or feel sad/want to pray for you. But I'd imagine the general vibe can be either "I disapprove, but I accept", or "I accept, but disapprove", or in some cases "I accept and love you".

I think people can really be loving and these days they're understanding that it's something you really can't control. They might be afraid of what you do with the sexual orientation - as in worried for you, uncomfortable. They might disapprove you having a boyfriend but they won't disapprove "you".

I wouldn't get my hopes up too much. But I wouldn't put them too low either, at the point of 'disowing' or 'rejecting' or strongly diapproving and shaming you.

[–]yousaythosethingsFind and Replace "gatekeeping" with "having boundaries" 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

My conservative family members think of me as the "normal" and conventionally successful one in my family tree. I think they would get over me being gay in that they wouldn't express hatred, but they would think of me as an oddball and at least a little bit sexually perverted. So I'd rather keep them away from private life, and especially my sex life.