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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Long. WWYD? Keep the family peace or stick by principles?

114 replies

sterrryerryoh · 23/02/2011 22:46

Will try to keep this brief.
Had a housewarming party - friends & family invited. My Uncle (Mum's Brother) asked if he could bring along some other family members - his wife's brother, SIL and their kids as they are staying with my uncle and auntie. I kind of know them through various social functions, big party, no probs, so said yes.

Party in full swing. Everyone happy. Two of my friends are gay men - they are great friends but not together. One (let's call him Paddy) is in his 60's and (in his own words) "an outrageous queen" - very camp, overtly gay, flamboyant, wonderful man. My other gay friend (let's call him Phil) is in his early 40's, drop dead gorgeous, not in the closet at all, but also not obviously gay iyswim. I would go so far as to say he's actually quite blokey, to the point that people are often surprised when they realise he's gay

So Paddy has left the room, Phil still there. My auntie's family start making really homophobic jokes about Paddy. won't repeat them here, but very obvious and distasteful. (I wasn't in the room at the time) - i came back in, to hear Phil say to them that he doesn't appreciate their humour, and can they please stop it. They all laugh, and carry on regardless. I am about to say something, when Phil says again that he's not comfortable with the humour and will take it personally if they don't stop it.

one of them then says "Why - you're not an arse-bandit are you?" to which Phil replies "If you're asking if I'm gay, not that it's any of your business, but yes"
(Paddy had entered at this point) - they all start really going for it with the homophobic comments. Long story short: Paddy gets really upset and leaves before it gets too much. Phil gets really angry and leaves before he hits one of them. I try desperately to get my friends to stay, but to no avail.

So, I then asked my auntie's relatives to leave. I was very calm, and matter of fact, but I told them that they were not welcome in my house, that their actions had caused two of my very good friends to feel uncomfortable to the point of leaving, and that, as they were not even invited, that i didn't want them there any more. It all kicked off a bit and they accused me of having no sense of humour!! Hmm and it got a bit verbally heated, so my Uncle stepped in and said that HE and my auntie and cousins would also have to leave, as they were all together, and I said "fine - go then"

They booked taxis and I asked them to wait outside (party was still going on). My uncle said "Us too?" and I replied "No, you can wait inside if you like, but I'm not having them in my house" He then said "They are my guests, and I'm staying with them" and I said "Fine, they're not mine. Go outside then", and they all waited outside for about 20 minutes.
My Uncle has now given my what I can only describe as an ultimatum - if I don't apologise to both his brother in law and their family, AND to him, my auntie and cousins, then I will no longer be a welcome guest at their house.
(Massive family, lots of functions, will have an impact on our family and social life)
I am sticking by my guns and will not apologise to my auntie's family who can stick it. But I don't know whether or not to meet my uncle halfway and concede that maybe I shouldn't have kicked my uncle/auntie/cousins out as well, as they had nothing to do with the scene.

I know it's a WWYD - but WWYD????

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 24/02/2011 14:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 24/02/2011 15:28

Good luck for your meeting with your uncle. Take lots of deep breaths and stay calm - you couldn't be more in the right if you tried, and hopefully he will see how offensive his guests' behaviour was, and will apologise on their behalf and back down on his threats to exclude you from family gatherings.

LineRunner · 24/02/2011 15:47

Why the fuck is your mother leaving you to sort all this out yourself? She could help by brokering a truce of sorts between her own brother and her own daughter, for the sake of her own family, surely? For example: everyone in your family expresses regret for what happened; everyone agrees no more homophobic comments in your home; the bigoted relatives do not come into your home again; everyone agrees to draw a line and step over it, on into a harmonious familial future.

Good on you, by the way.

Friends are for life. Relatives are for Christmas, if you're really really unlucky.

Panda1234 · 25/02/2011 09:17

What happened with the meeting with your uncle? [nosey emoticon]

Hullygully · 25/02/2011 09:25

Good for you. I would also add that it's worth carrying on being kind to uncle and co (not the bastard extended lot), as love is more likely to bring him round to tolerance than anger.

abenstille · 25/02/2011 11:26

Imagine that you had the party, your gay friends insulted your uncle to the point he was upset and left. Your gay friends carried on making insulting jokes about him. The rest of that bit of the family left. Your gay friends wanted an apology for waiting outside in a taxi, what would your uncle advise you do? I think you need to put this reverse situation to them to make them see what theyre asking of you. Id do it in a letter (and keep a copy in case of further family fallouts)and keep the letter reasonably friendly and to the point, maybe even end it with 'hope the kids are all ok' etc but stick to your guns and dont apologise. Reason for the letter is so that it doesnt get all heated.
sorry about rambling - am in a rush!

Themumsnot · 25/02/2011 12:28

Hope it went OK last night OP and you were able to stick to your guns.

sterrryerryoh · 25/02/2011 13:29

Sorry to bump this again - just got an update.
I spoke to my Mum who agrees I shouldn't apologise, but thinks it needs sorting out, so I went to see my Uncle last night.
Spoke to him at length about how angry and disturbed I was by the comments that were made by his brother-in-law and family, and that actually I'm definitely not going to apologise to those bastard members of the family, and then I said, "I don't feel as though I owe you an apology either. You're my Uncle and I love you, but you chose to go home with them" to which he replied, "We had no choice - they were staying with us" so I said, "Look - I'm not sorry because I did nothing wrong - THEY did, but I wish you hadn't got caught up in the crossfire and ended up having to go home early. I totally get why you needed to go home with them, but you need to understand that I will NOT accept that kind of behaviour and bullying from anyone, especially in my own house, regardless of the focus of, or content of the comments."
He said something else about me needing to lighten up, and how they've been fuming all week about it, so I basically stood up and I said, "This is the way it is. I love you and love being part of this family, but I'm not going to accept their homophobic hatred, and if you feel that strongly about this, that you need to make a decision to essentially disown me over it, that is entirely your choice." He looked a bit surprised, and then I said the bit I'd practised in the car..
something along the lines of...
"You're not the King of the family, you don't get to make rules and decide who does what - if you don't feel you can welcome me into your house for whatever reason, then don't. But don't issue me with ultimatums. I'm a grown up now, you know, with opinions and ideas all of my own. If we have social events that I am invited to, then I'll come and enjoy them. If I'm not invited, then that's that. The decision is entirely yours, but I'm not doing this any more - that's a line drawn under it, and I'll leave it with you"

Then I hugged him, and my auntie, said goodbye to them, and left!
Job done!

OP posts:
BelfastBloke · 25/02/2011 13:33

Well done.

Sounds very clear. Hope they heard it clearly.

plupedantic · 25/02/2011 13:38

Nice and assertive, with no aggression for them to get defensive about.

HarrietTheSpook · 25/02/2011 13:43

You must stick to you principles. This was disgusting behaviour. I have relatives whose views I disagree with - loads of Tea Party members Stateside. If I cut them all out my family would be left to my parents only at this point. BUT:

There's privately not agreeing with someone's behaviour and/or confining your comments to audiences where your views will not offend someone or where there's something that approximates mature debate going on. None of my family would have actively abused someone like yours seems to have done (if my interp below is correct.) This is taking things to another level entirely and where you must draw the line. I would not want for a moment for my children to think I agreed with them and would also need to be categorically clear from that point of view.

"one of them then says "Why - you're not an arse-bandit are you?" to which Phil replies "If you're asking if I'm gay, not that it's any of your business, but yes"
(Paddy had entered at this point) - they all start really going for it with the homophobic comments."

HarrietTheSpook · 25/02/2011 13:44

Sorry I've just seen your response. I just felt so strongly about this I had to post.

edam · 25/02/2011 13:47

ruddy well done that woman - again!

OTheHugeManatee · 25/02/2011 13:49

Round of applause, OP.

And have some Wine

SoupDragon · 25/02/2011 13:50

Oh, well done!!

[applause]

DeidreBarlow · 25/02/2011 13:52

OP well done. I don't think you could have handled any of it any better.

Themumsnot · 25/02/2011 13:52

Well done that woman! That was the perfect response!

NorthernComfort · 25/02/2011 13:54

Blimey, good effort, well done. If he decides to disown you after that he's doing you a favour.

TobyLerone · 25/02/2011 13:54

I would tell the uncle that there was no way his family would be getting an apology. I would also explain to him why it was upsetting to you, and that you had invited them into your home as a favour to your uncle. I would also tell him that there is no need for you and him to fall out over this, but if that is how he feels, so be it.

TobyLerone · 25/02/2011 13:56

Oh, wow. I hadn't read the last page. Well done, OP! You handled that incredibly well :)

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 25/02/2011 14:04

Well done OP. That was brilliant :)

skybluepearl · 25/02/2011 14:29

well done you

BarbaraBar · 25/02/2011 14:37

That was stunning OP, well done.

You were briliant.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 25/02/2011 14:43

You're amazing.

That was so assertive. It was - well - perfect. I really admire you.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 25/02/2011 17:22

Wow - you are truly amazing, Sterry! What you said was perfect. I hope that, when your uncle thinks about what you said, he will understand and accept it.