http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIIN96AP7xo

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Imagine making a DVD for your parents because you can't tell them you're coming out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImnG5FjhtZg

Or worse, if you're turning to the Internet for advice because you're too afraid to tell them.

The latter, I'm inclined to believe is real. It reminds me much of my own teenaged, confused aborted practices in front of the mirror at home.

Even if they should be false, however, it's still something to think about.

I like the DVD. I think that was quite creative. Sometimes it's hard to find the words when you're face to face with someone. They key is to find how you best express yourself and go with it. That kid could have sat down with his parents and watched it all together. It'd be like having the conversation without having to actually say the words. I say good for him.

I remember at like 10/11yrs-old solemnly promising my mom that I would never, ever be gay. lol... At the time she was afraid my older brother was gay because he wore make-up and wanted to be a hairstylist for a while, so I promised her I've never turn out that way.

So, Tanglog, did your older brother turn out to be a hairstylist? I think you shouldn't keep us in suspense on such an important point.

I remember coming out to my aunt a year or so ago. We were talking and she was telling me about how my grandmother is convinced my oldest cousin is gay because he's never gotten married and he's 42 or so. I told my aunt, "grandma has the right idea, wrong grandson..."

We kept talking for a few minutes then the light went on in her head. She said, "Did you just tell me you're gay?!?!" I simply said, "yup."

Wait until you hear what Kristoff's Granny said...I choked and shot coffee out my nose!

My brother turned out to be very straight, has three kids now (I know this proves nothing, jus' sayin' is all), and also he gave up hairstyling (he's bald now, compared to his carefully crafted Vanilla Ice haircut when he was in his hairstyling phase); I think his prissiness disappear with his hair. And to think that people were surprised when I said I was gay -- I had always thought it was soo obvious. Though since I've fallen deeply in love with a female recently I think I lose all my privileges to the 'gay' label. D'oh.

I think identity confusion has been the one constant in my life. I'd like to opt out of gender altogether.

Paolo wrote: Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:44 pm Wait until you hear what Kristoff's Granny said...I choked and shot coffee out my nose!

How long are you going to keep us in suspense on this one?

Seriously, though, I can't but wonder how it will/did turn out for these boys...

OK OK. The overlord is harrrassing me....

Back in 1993, my then boyfriend Kjem, and I went to Christmas dinner at my sister's house (the rich bich). Of course, Kjem is a bit of a sissy but fancies himself as being butch, though he is strong. Of course, dad tried to crush his hand during greetings.... Dad wore a cast for -- no not really, but... The whole clan was there, and of course, this was the first time that anyone was "officially" bringing a non-married partner, let alone a homo, to Christmas dinner. As though no one "knew" anything beforehand... Just the usual shit about if we don't say anything, it isn't there... la la la la...

So, anyway, many of us were sitting at Sis's big fancy formal dining room table doing brunch, including Gramma Alice, who was sitting on one side of me, Kjem on the other. Gram at that time was in her early 80s, experiencing a bit of senile memory losses (while telling a story, if she couldn't remember things, she just made them up and believed them), but still quite active. She began inquiring as to which of these lovely young ladies was my wife. Of course, I had to explain that none of them was.

This had, of course, to be followed by, "So, when are you going to get married?" The response was that I was already married. She was aghast; "Why wasn't I invited to the wedding? And, who is your wife?" I pointed to Kjem, and said that I was married to him. Of course, about 10 folk were watching this with rapt attention - no one had ever bothered to tell Gramma Alice that her grandson was a big old faggot. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for family warfare to start, and all the rest of the usual drama....

Gramma just threw up her hand and said, "Well, I always knew you were a little bent...."

Such a sigh of relief; the faggot came out OK with the old matriarch....