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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not tell family about my girlfriend (bisexual and they assume I'm straight) ?

56 replies

rereetv · 17/12/2018 12:51

I have been seeing a woman for 7 months and really like her.
I've dated men before but sleeping with them was always horrific for me.
I really like this woman but she feels like my dirty little secret.
Nobody knows about her friends /family
I don't know how to do it.
I'm scared of judgement
Aibu here?

OP posts:
rereetv · 17/12/2018 16:48

I'm an only child and now 34 get the pressure of "when you getting married and having kids)
They very old fashioned too..I have an uncle who thinks some very old fashioned and derogatory things about gay people etc

OP posts:
Oblomov18 · 17/12/2018 16:51

You sound like you are very troubled. I think you should have sorted this all in your mind, before involving her. 7 mths is a long time and she is and should be emotionally involved with you by now.

This is no way to treat her. Or behave generally.

Imagine a situation. A reverse thread: woman : I've been dating a man for nearly a year, but he won't commit, and won't tell anyone about me. I'm his dirty little secret.
Mn response? LTB. He's a waste of time.

rereetv · 17/12/2018 16:56

I'm very confused
I do know I really like her

OP posts:
skybluee · 17/12/2018 17:03

I understand the pressure OP. I find it very difficult to come out. At work, in a previous job, two people i thought were friends got onto the topic and one said she hated working with lesbians because she had once and one of them "stared at her tits". Due to that one fucking stupid comment I ended up not coming out at work in an office of about 40 people and it just felt horrendous.

With family I actually wrote a letter. it did not go well quite honestly, but that was a long time ago.
TBH things are so much better now and they get better every decade, but I think anyone's fooling themselves if they say there isnt still judgement, as you've discovered (your uncle). However... this is my thought: anyone who gives that kind of judgement and is cruel isn't someone worth knowing anyway. life is too short, why fill it with hatred.

So yes, I understand being scared of your friends and families reaction, but if you do lose friends, which is very unlikely anyway i'd imagine, were they really friends anyway if they reject you? who you are as a person, who you fancy/love? why should that matter so much to them?

When I came out it was the 1990s, I was a teenager and I lived near Stoke on Trent. I was asked to leave pubs, leave bars and venues because I held hands with my girlfriend. I had people scream insults at me in the street. I was spat at when i was with a group of gay friends. someone tried to set my friend's hair on fire. Times have changed now, there isn't so much of this obvious and blatant homophobia. it's kind of more insidious now in a way. it's definitely still there, but it's less. that's why i hate it when people are like... oh why would you have any difficulty telling your friends and family? it IS difficult! depending on your situation. but it's very worthwhile.

For what it's worth, if you really like this woman, i think being open with your friends and family is worth a go.

HestiaParthenos · 17/12/2018 17:05

I know someone who was with a man who refused to introduce her to his parents for very surreal reasons. She's not with him anymore.

Now, your girlfriend will probably understand that the situation might be difficult with family, but you owe it to her to risk your friends' behaviour changing in very tiny ways.

Perhaps knowing that you are bi will make the slightly homophobic friend rethink her opinions, who knows. (Is she this wary of men, too? If not, why is she of women?)

Canibuildasnowman · 17/12/2018 17:26

As for having kids, my DW and I have two, that we had together. And we know dozens of other gay women who have had families together.

ClaryFray · 17/12/2018 17:54

If your still confused let the girl go and work out what you want alone. Its not fair to her what your doing.

rereetv · 17/12/2018 18:22

She has a daughter 14 already and has no desire for more children.
I think that's one of the main things that's confusing me.

OP posts:
OKhitmewithit · 17/12/2018 18:28

Just further reassurance, one of my good friends is gay, we share a room when away, we were supposed to be sharing a bed this time but now she is bringing her girlfriend (who is lovely). Never crossed my mind that she would jump me!

rereetv · 17/12/2018 21:54

I will eventually tell people.
I'm just working myself up to do it.
She isn't the first woman I've found attractive so I guess I deffo have bi tendencies.

OP posts:
Boredspice · 17/12/2018 22:02

You don’t need to get bogged down with the label. If you find her beautiful, enjoy sex with her and love being in her company then you are Bi sexual. It sounds like you have a lovely relationship with her and she seems to have been very understanding and patient with you.

Yabu though. It isn’t fair on her. You may find your friends are not as surprised as you think they will be...you just say you are dating someone, her name is * and you would very much like them to meet her one day. You will likely find that although some may not know how to react, most will just get over it and move on. If they don’t? Well you don’t need them!

LRDtheFeministDragon · 17/12/2018 22:06

Blimey, some harsh comments here!

@claryfray, do you think the OP's GF is a child who can't think for herself?

When I started dating my DP I wasn't totally sure what my situation was; short of going out and doing some more shagging I suppose I won't find out. It didn't faze her. It would bother some people, fair enough, but that doesn't mean it's automatically wrong. And the OP says her girlfriend dislikes being kept secret (understandably!), but it doesn't sound as if she is unsympathetic to the OP being confused about her sexuality?

rereetv · 18/12/2018 11:37

She is really supportive
She just gets frustrated with me I think.
I'm in no doubt I really like her and the best relationship I've ever been in.
I just wish I could get past this fear of judgemental people.

OP posts:
Severide08 · 18/12/2018 11:48

Few harsh replies .OP i have gay friends one has been a very good friend of myself and DH for number of years and i love her for who she is regardless of her sexuality and if anyone ever slurred her for her sexuality they wouod have me to deal with .The thing is OP your friends and family Should love you for who you are ,you might find some already know just not sure how to broach it .Never ever be ashamed of yourself. If people dont like it fine then they dont deserves your time .

LRDtheFeministDragon · 18/12/2018 12:53

So what, @severide08?

Plenty of people have gay friends, and are not homophobic.

Doesn't mean the OP is wrong to feel cautious or nervous, and certainly doesn't make it acceptable to guilt-trip her for those feelings, which is what I think some people were doing.

Are you gay yourself? I am guessing not as you mention a DH. Given that, you really do not know what it might be like be in this situation, and it is extremely easy for you to tell the OP that if people don't like her it's 'fine'. It may well not be at all 'fine' for her.

Severide08 · 18/12/2018 13:25

@LRDtheFeministDragon whoah slow down there if you read my post in the way it's meant i was being sympathetic to the OP .No i am not but i didnt see the need to mention it before but i have a adult DC who is gay and worried about coming out so yes i do have a grasp of the situation having a DC who been there .So please take of the judgey hat .

FaithFrank · 18/12/2018 13:30

I agree with LRD, saying 'your friends and family should love you for who you are' is all very well, but that might not be the case. We don't know what OP's friends and family are like. They may well be ignorant and judgemental. She may have good reasons for being apprehensive.

YANBU for feeling scared of being judged. But on balance, you would be better off telling your family. Your DP sounds like a good'un.

abacucat · 18/12/2018 13:35

It sounds like this is about how you feel about yourself. You need to accept yourself.

WiddlinDiddlin · 18/12/2018 13:36

You know you don't HAVE to have a label for it, for you or anyone else.

Keep it simple.

"This is the person I am attracted to and am having a relationship with. Their gender is not relevant, the fact that I am physically attracted to them and wish to spend time with them is what matters!"

If they ask if you are gay or bi.. " I don't know and does it matter? This is the person I am attracted to right and am in a relationship with'.

abacucat · 18/12/2018 13:43

Also I remember George Michael saying he used to call himself bisexual. Then he realised it was about who he fell in love with, not who he could have sex with - which was only ever men. Then he started to say he was gay.

rereetv · 18/12/2018 14:15

That's true I don't have to label myself.
It's strange because the last two years when I've dated men,sleeping with them was awful.
I had to be drunk and even then I cried after.
Even kissing these guys felt wrong.
I've never really had a long relationship with men.
5 months was my longest
A friend actually said she thought I was a sexual

OP posts:
LRDtheFeministDragon · 18/12/2018 15:15

Well, I'm sorry if you feel judged, but I think your post adds to the weight of people guilt-tripping the OP.

No, you do not know what it is like. Having an adult DC who is gay, or a friend who is gay, does not give you the right to say that.

You're missing the crucial point here. Some people will treat the OP differently.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 18/12/2018 15:19

re, have you chatted to other gay and bi women about this? I would bet that in any given social group or meet-up (there's probably one in your area), there will be loads of other women who have similar experiences.

I find the popular media narrative of sexuality really unhelpful - as abacucat says, it's often assumed it's about who you've had sex with, and it's often assumed you have to find a label and stick with it. You really don't. The only people who will regularly ask you your sexuality are HR forms, and even there, you can always tick 'prefer not to say'.

askmenothing · 18/12/2018 15:38

I was you. I met a women after my marriage broke down when I was about 31. I fell for her and had to 'come out'. I did exactly what was mentioned upthread. I'm dating someone, she is called X.

Honestly. No one cared. My traditional, borderline homophobic family barely commented. Accepted her completely, my stepmum prefers her to me. I was terrified. Nothing changed at all. My friends basically shrugged and said cool. Still went on trips away with mates, shared rooms on a hen party. Absolutely no judgement whatsoever. My family and friends were so glad to see me happy.

If they care about you, they will not be negative.

abacucat · 18/12/2018 15:41

You don't sound into men at all. You know you can still think some men are attractive, without actually wanting to have a relationship or sex with them?

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