Should I gently push my brother to come out to friends and family?

[alex0609]

I’ve thought for years that my 32 year old brother is gay, and he finally came out to me yesterday.

We were at a family party and I could tell he just wasn’t right. I took him away from the family and he was it bits, crying his eyes out and said he had some issues but couldn’t tell me. I asked if it was that he is gay and he broke down and said yes. We chatted for an hour and I told how proud of him I am.

I then very gently, persuaded him to tell the other family members at the party. Everyone was totally supportive and loving to him. I’m worried that it wasn’t my place to do that and maybe I should have left him to do it on his own terms?
Or, should I continue to gently push him and hold his hand to tell the world?

@alex0609

I’ve spoken to him, and he said that he feels a huge sense of relief and a weight off his shoulders. He said that he was happy that he has told closest family members and has asked me to go with him, when he is ready to tell other people, who might not be so supportive. I will absolutely wait until he decides the time is right. Maybe my original wording was clumsy and I didn’t ‘persuade’ him so much as let him know the people there would only support him and love him if he did want to tell them. We are very close and lost our mum recently, so I just want to make sure that I protect him and want only for him to live a happy life.

That's all for the good then. Phew!

A lot of the commentors here have no idea what they're talking about and nor do I. If you pressured him into something he wasn't comfortable with that wasn't ideal. If you felt he wanted a push to come out and you provided him with that, that's great. We can't tell from your description which it was.

Storm in a teacup then, eh?

Why are you asking if you should do something that you've already done?