April 5th
So my cousin called this evening while I was at work and left a voice mail. Turns out she's going to be in Houston on April 5th because her bestfriend's parents recently moved here and so she's riding with her to go and visit them. Anyway naturally she wants to meet up.
Now my cousin and I were really close as kids. We were sorta like brother and sister (but were both only children). Anyway we've seen less and less of each other as we've gotten older, and particularly in the last four or five years, have hardly seen each other at all. Anyway, I really miss her and often think of all the fun we used to have as kids. So it all sounds great right? Well...
See I never came out to her. In fact my mom's the only person in my family I am out to. I've got a really small immediate family. There's my mom, grandparents, cousin and aunt...and that's about it. Then there's my dad side who I'm really not close to at all, but that's a pretty small family too, just my dad and a different grandmother, aunt, cousin. So yeah, small family. Anyway as I said I'm not close with my dad's side at all, and coming out to them just isn't really an issue. Eventually I suppose I'll come out to my dad, and I guess sooner or later maybe the others on his side as well, but it just doesn't seem pressing in the first place, and I just don't really care in the second. As for my mom's side, well I don't plan on telling my grandparents ever because they're already really old (mid eighties), and it just doesn't seem particularly relevant (I'd hardly be likely to discuss my love life with my grandparents anyway), and like I said they're just pretty old and don't need the drama. SO since I already told my mother, that just leaves my aunt and cousin. Well basically I do plan to tell them eventually, and my cousin is actually definitely next on the list.
And now you're up to speed on why I'm kinda freaking out about her coming to visit. Basically I feel like I can't not tell her while she's in town. I mean I'd only tell her face to face, while we were alone, and had plenty of time to talk, and this is pretty much the first time such an instance has arisen since high school. So I don't feel like I can just miss this opportunity. And I know people are going to say "well you shouldn't come out until you're ready", but how could I be any more ready? I mean I'm out to everyone in Houston, and I have a very large network of gay friends here, I'm also pretty active in the "scene". And I think I'm pretty comfortable, confident, and well-adjusted about the whole thing. So there's no excuse for putting it off.
I guess it's just that it's so much easier to be out when you've never been in. What I mean is everyone that meets me now just knows, it's one of the early things that comes up, and they never really think of me as "straight", and I sure as heck never get used to presenting myself as straight to them. So it's just no big deal, take it or leave it. But "coming out" to people in my past...much more complicated. Especially people like my cousin, I mean geez we used eat snow cones and climb fences together. Sex/sexuality of any kind was never really a part of our relationship.
That said I definitely wouldn't think twice about her knowing I were gay if she were just some random person I was just meeting. I mean I don't really think twice about it anyway, but she fits the profile of someone I'd be perfectly at ease with (female, under 30, intelligent, and fairly liberal). Still it's not just that I'm uncomfortable with the whole thing in general. I mean I suppose theoretically it could be a problem. For one thing she sucks at keeping secrets, especially from her mother (my aunt), and I've always said I wouldn't come out to her until I was ready to come out to my aunt too. And I suppose I am, ready to come out to my aunt that is, except that she's definitely one of the most difficult, complicated, judgemental people in the family. Plus there's always a chance it'll get back to my grandparents, and as I said I'm just not going to come out to them ever. SO I don't want that to happen. If that weren't an issue I don't think I'd really give damn. Everyone else in the family could just get over it and get used to it in their own time. And really that's how I feel about this too, I think worse case scenario she'll still be fine with it eventually and in the meantime it's not like things will be difficult or unpleasant for me. It's just a problem if she does react badly, or just with surprise, and spreads it around to the rest of the family.
Anyway not telling her would be really weird in and of itself. I mean like I said, I'm just not "in" at all in Houston. If she meets anyone I know it could come up casually. I have several "gay" books on my shelf. Apart from the bookmarks I lost my computer is full of gay bookmarks. I have a copy of the "gay and lesbian yellow pages" by the phone. Besides all that I have WAY more skin and personal hygene products than a straight guy. My wardrobe would probably give me away, and let's not even bring up my "questionable" items (which are put away, but she's a notorious snoop and has been since childhood). So yeah, assuming I did want to stay in the closet where she's concerned I'd have to completely go through my apartment, carefully, remove/hide everything, then make sure she didn't actually run into anyone I know. And goodness, doing all that would make me feel really pathetic and lousy about myself.
I've had a chat with my friend Megan about it. She thinks I should come out to her too. So far she's the only one I've discussed it with (it was fairly late when I found out), but I imagine that'll generally be everyone's opinion. I mean really it's mine too, and I suppose I'll do it, I just don't particularly want to. Blah, I feel like I'm trapped in some cheesy sitcome, "Oh look, George, it's 'the one where Kevin's cousin comes to town'!" :wacko:
Anyway, other than that I had a particularly awesome day today.
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