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Dear Amy: I'm a 24-year-old gay male. I have been "out" to my immediate family for about five years now.
My family is very supportive and open about my sexual orientation when it's just the four of us, but I haven't told everyone in my extended family.
My sister always tells me, "Your sexuality is none of their business," but to me, it's a lot more than that. They don't understand what it's like to feel like you're hiding something from people. It affects my behavior and my relatives' behavior too.
My cousin told me that everyone already knows and that everyone loves and accepts me. But can I still officially come out to everyone, or is it not appropriate?
Lucky Gay
Dear Lucky: Thanksgiving is coming up. Surely, your family will be gathering for dinner.
You could handle this quickly and give everyone a memorable holiday experience by saying, "Please pass the cranberry relish, and by the way I'm officially gay!"
I'm kidding, of course.
I'm with your sister, that your sexuality is no one's business. However, you sound very eager to disclose this, and I can understand your desire to be completely authentic with your family.
I give you permission to "officially come out" and then get on with your life.
I'd love to hear from readers with suggestions about the best way to do this.
::
Dear Amy: My mother recently died, and as her 70-year-old son, I gave my grandnephew's new wife about $1,500 worth of good jewelry that belonged to my mother.
Five months have passed without a written thank you.
She did thank me orally when I gave the jewelry to her.
I text-messaged her and said, "If you're still enjoying Mom's jewelry, I would like you to send me a thank-you note." She got angry and involved her husband, who mixed in other issues with his anger at this.
I feel I did nothing wrong and told them so, saying, "When someone gifts you with expensive jewelry, it is appropriate to write a thank-you note."
Please tell me I wasn't wrong?
Tom
Dear Tom: I agree that your grandnephew's wife should have thanked you for your generosity by sending you a note. Absolutely.
However, your demand via text message to receive a written note was a tad harsh and inappropriate.
It sounds as if you don't have much of a relationship with this couple outside of this issue. Their immaturity combined with your prickliness brought on more rudeness. If you want to try to mentor these people into being more considerate, you could dig deep and instead of instructing them about etiquette, you could explain how their lapse makes you feel.
Send questions to
Amy Dickinson to askamy@tribune.com or to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
My family is very supportive and open about my sexual orientation when it's just the four of us, but I haven't told everyone in my extended family.
My sister always tells me, "Your sexuality is none of their business," but to me, it's a lot more than that. They don't understand what it's like to feel like you're hiding something from people. It affects my behavior and my relatives' behavior too.
My cousin told me that everyone already knows and that everyone loves and accepts me. But can I still officially come out to everyone, or is it not appropriate?
Lucky Gay
Dear Lucky: Thanksgiving is coming up. Surely, your family will be gathering for dinner.
You could handle this quickly and give everyone a memorable holiday experience by saying, "Please pass the cranberry relish, and by the way I'm officially gay!"
I'm kidding, of course.
I'm with your sister, that your sexuality is no one's business. However, you sound very eager to disclose this, and I can understand your desire to be completely authentic with your family.
I give you permission to "officially come out" and then get on with your life.
I'd love to hear from readers with suggestions about the best way to do this.
::
Dear Amy: My mother recently died, and as her 70-year-old son, I gave my grandnephew's new wife about $1,500 worth of good jewelry that belonged to my mother.
Five months have passed without a written thank you.
She did thank me orally when I gave the jewelry to her.
I text-messaged her and said, "If you're still enjoying Mom's jewelry, I would like you to send me a thank-you note." She got angry and involved her husband, who mixed in other issues with his anger at this.
I feel I did nothing wrong and told them so, saying, "When someone gifts you with expensive jewelry, it is appropriate to write a thank-you note."
Please tell me I wasn't wrong?
Tom
Dear Tom: I agree that your grandnephew's wife should have thanked you for your generosity by sending you a note. Absolutely.
However, your demand via text message to receive a written note was a tad harsh and inappropriate.
It sounds as if you don't have much of a relationship with this couple outside of this issue. Their immaturity combined with your prickliness brought on more rudeness. If you want to try to mentor these people into being more considerate, you could dig deep and instead of instructing them about etiquette, you could explain how their lapse makes you feel.
Send questions to
Amy Dickinson to askamy@tribune.com or to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
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