Latest news with #acceptance
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dear Abby: How do I protect my gay dad from my homophobic husband?
DEAR ABBY: In the four years my husband and I have been married, his distaste for the LGBTQ community has grown into a passion. He calls it immoral and unnatural. I've never tried to change his opinion, but because I don't enthusiastically agree with him, he is convinced I'm going to hell. He uses nearly every conversation as an opportunity to share his feelings on this issue. Any response I volunteer goes unheard. Shortly after our wedding, my father revealed he is gay. Thankfully, my husband can be kind to him while disapproving of his sexuality. I'm not sure Dad knows the extent of my husband's negative feelings. (They live in different states, so they rarely see each other.) My problem is, my father recently became engaged to his partner, and I'm not sure how to tell my husband. I'm not asking him to agree with my dad's life, but I don't want him to steal my joy over this event or make me feel guilty for going to their wedding. I will certainly be going alone. Advice, Abby? — ALLY IN MICHIGAN DEAR ALLY: Yes, I do have some. However, it is more far-reaching than you may expect. That your husband discounts or 'doesn't hear' what you need to communicate to him does not bode well for the future of your marriage. Your father's sexual orientation may be abhorrent to your husband, but it is not 'unnatural.' If you wish to attend your father's wedding, do it, and do not feel guilty for supporting him at this important time. You are not going to hell for loving and accepting your father — quite the opposite, in fact. DEAR ABBY: We have been friends with a couple for many, many years. Unfortunately, someone took some items out of their house. Our long friendship is now over because they think we stole from them. Although they have gotten over it, we cannot. They say it's 'in the past' and it's time to move on. They can't understand that we feel so insulted that we no longer want to remain friends with them. They never offered an apology, which makes us feel they still doubt us. Are we oversensitive? — INNOCENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE DEAR INNOCENT: No, you are not. In light of the fact that you never received an apology for the wrongful accusation, it makes sense that you not put yourselves in the position of being accused again. DEAR ABBY: My stepdaughter-in-law and I had words several months ago. Within a few days, I received an apology, and I apologized to her for my response. Since then, she has blocked me and told a mutual friend she won't be coming to family gatherings, which she rarely attended anyway. We recently attended the funeral of a close family friend. She came, but I noticed she seemed unusually quiet and uncomfortable. She barely spoke unless spoken to but did hug me goodbye. Should I ask her why she blocked me or let it go? — CONFOUNDED IN TEXAS DEAR CONFOUNDED: Your stepdaughter-in-law is starting to thaw. If I were you, I would let sleeping dogs lie. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tiny Love Stories: ‘He Greeted Me With the Same Loving Hug'
'A Memorable Weekend Adventure' People do crazy things for love. That may explain how I ended up on a Pennsylvania back road with a lamb peeing in my Subaru. It was five days before Eid al-Adha and 11 months after our first date. We had picked up the animal from a local sheep farm and were delivering it to a nearby butcher — a memorable weekend adventure. He's a Tunisian merchant's son who likes hosting parties and cooking with farm-fresh ingredients. I'm an American farmer's daughter who knows how to get things done. Just like lamb and couscous, some things (and people) belong together. — Jessica Hibbard Embracing My Reflection Every morning, I look in the mirror and, begrudgingly, decide to like myself. Again. With my impatience, bulging stomach, receding hairline and inner critic on full blast, it's no small feat. My love story? It's with me. It's not a kiss-my-reflection kind of connection. Rather, it's a messy, clumsy journey of learning to accept the quirky, sweet, obnoxious, stubborn guy staring back. Some days it's a shrug. Others, a small smile. But I keep at it. Because one day, I just might find self-love that will stick. — Michael Sussal Peace After Pain When I arrived in the world, my older sister greeted me with a loving hug. Separated by 21 months, she taught me how to do everything from writing my name to riding a bike. The first sibling to navigate adolescence, she was often frustrated, uncomfortable and restless. I admired her but wanted to be nothing like her. I always knew she held a private pain. At 45, my sibling courageously transitioned. I now have an older brother who is finally happy, whole and content. And when I visited him recently in Portugal, he greeted me with the same loving hug. — Linda Bardere The Right Fit We made plans to meet at a mega furniture store in Omaha to shop for a new bed. I arrived first, wandering the aisles, testing mattresses. 'Can I help you find something?' the saleswoman asked just as I looked up and saw my fiancé descending the escalator. Her eyes followed mine. 'Oh, I can see you've already found it,' she said. Yes. At the age of 55, I certainly had. — Eileen Davis See more Tiny Love Stories at Submit yours at Want more from Modern Love? Watch the TV series; sign up for the newsletter; or listen to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify or Google Play. We also have swag at the NYT Store and two books, 'Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption' and 'Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
I grew up with two mums – I never needed a father figure
I can't pinpoint a time when I knew I was growing up in a family that didn't represent 'traditional' ones, because being raised by my two mothers is all I've ever known. They got together when I was six, after my biological parents split. My father was not the most caring or brilliant role model in life, but it didn't matter – my mum and her partner, Lisa, did a brilliant job of bringing me up and teaching me how to be a functioning adult. Myself and my four brothers were raised without gender norms. If a room needed cleaning, we were never taught to believe that was a 'woman's job' – anything women could do, men could too, and vice versa. What makes a happy environment is a home full of acceptance, love and care and that's exactly what we had. I didn't notice any particular difference about our family during childhood until I reached the age of around 12, when kids at school began making comments about my having two mums. The bullying was there, and being gay wasn't so out in the open as it is now back in the early 2000s. I'd get comments like: 'your mums are gay, so you must be too', or that I didn't know how to be a boy because I didn't have a dad in the house. Even now, I get the odd comment – as much as we think that people support the gay community, things aren't where they need to be. Thankfully my biological mum and her wife, Lisa, are really strong-minded, so if negativity comes their way, we just joke about it. Having a sense of humour about our situation is how we deal with things as a family. I kept in touch with my dad until four years ago, but we haven't been in regular contact since – he's always been very bitter about the split with my mum. But I've had plenty of great men in my life to learn from, especially my grandfather. He stood by my mum after the divorce, even though everybody else acted as though she was the devil, and no matter what she needed, he was there. My brothers, my mothers' male gay friends, and friends of my own have also had a huge effect on my life. All of them helped shape me into the person I am today. They have shown me that a father figure isn't necessary, and that you don't need a man to create a happy home. Role models are important, but it doesn't have to be the person you call 'Dad'. To me, being a good person has nothing to do with gender. People can have a father at home and find themselves in the most toxic, abusive household – that's so much more negative than being brought up with two mums. What shapes you is love, family and community and the way that you are raised. We're not big on celebrating events, so for Father's and Mother's Day we just mark the occasion with a phone call or Facebook post. But I know my mothers feel how grateful we all are for how things have ended up. At 31, I've come to understand what an absolutely incredible job they've done in making my brothers and I the men that we are. We're all very respectful, all married with children, and committed to being the best we can be for our families. We're also all in heterosexual relationships – something that seems to surprise people who make negative comments about growing up in a household with two women. I've been thinking more about what role models mean since my daughter was born six weeks ago. Her being here has made me consider who I do and don't want to be as a father, and if anything, the best thing my own dad has done for me is to show me how not to behave. I want to be a proud father: to celebrate my little girl no matter what life she ends up having, no matter what choices she makes. I want our household to be full of love, to be a joyful, happy father, and to create a good life for my daughter. My mothers have shown me how to do that, and I plan to do the same for her.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Wortley Pride hoping for peaceful event this weekend
Wortley Pride president Kathy Bell and her wife Denise Copeland, also a Wortley Pride board member, took time Friday afternoon to stroll across the freshly painted Pride crosswalk at Wortley and Elmwood. They're getting set to spread their message of acceptance. 'When we had our very first Wortley Pride festival four years ago, there was a lot of protestors and a lot of violence took place here. So, this crosswalk signifies true self-authenticity, and the ability to be who you are, where you are, when you want to be,' explained Bell. 'I would just say, 'you know what, don't judge 'till you know what we do, 'till you see what we do,' added Copeland. 'We're just getting together and showing love, and bringing out families, so they can just be together and have fun,' she said. The fourth annual Wortley Pride festival goes this weekend, celebrating the Pride community and its allies. The inaugural Wortley Pride was held in 2022, and every year since, it has been marred by protests, vandalism or violence. Wortley resident George Cruickshank said villagers won't tolerate such behaviour. 'We have no patience for that, for people who object and cause trouble,' said Cruickshank. Many businesses have gone all-in on Pride festivities. Jessy Deroneth, at Quarter Master Natural Foods, says she's all about promoting positivity. 'We can't really focus on the negativity, so we try to foster positivity as best as we can. We try to just be involved in ways we can, to actually help peoples' lives,' said Deroneth. Bell says they're taking safety precautions at this year's event- something they've become accustomed to. 'And the protestors always come and attend. And we do expect them this year, but we have taken the necessary steps to make sure everyone is going to be safe. So, police will be present, and there will be also undercover, as well as in-person.' Festivities begin Friday night with a drag show at the Delta Armouries in downtown London, followed by family events on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Green in Wortley. 'And I would say, once you set foot on the ground, you know you are safe, because we are here, we are queer, and we're not going anywhere,' said Bell.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Washington man writes stoma book in brother-in-law's memory
A retail worker has written a book to help children with stoma bags feel more accepted, fulfilling a request from a relative who recently died from Swales, from Washington, near Sunderland, had to have a stoma fitted after complications during his cancer treatment and asked his brother-in-law Stephen Jefferson to write a story based on the result was Shimmy the Shark and his Stoma, half the proceeds of which are going to charity Colsotomy UK, which the author has been touring around Jefferson said he thought his relative "would be so pleased and I hope he would be very proud" of the book. Mr Swales died on 8 November last year at the age of 23, but had managed to read the final part of the shark story. Mr Jefferson, also from Washington, said he was initially surprised by the request to write a children's book, but wanted to carry on his brother-in-law's name and spread the message."Daniel said he didn't want to be forgotten and I'm making that my mission," the 23-year-old said."Even when he was going through the most difficult time in his life, he still remained selfless and thoughtful of others." Mr Swales was diagnosed with stage four Burkitt's lymphoma in March last year."When he woke up from surgery and was told this life-changing thing that he had to deal with, it was very difficult for him," Mr Jefferson said."He did adapt, but it was always something that he struggled with."Seeing him realise a lot of children would be feeling that exact way, after he did all the research about it, was inspiring." Mr Jefferson said his brother-in-law was "the most amazing person I know" and loved the outdoors."It was very difficult to watch his life turn upside down," he had a passion for learning and was studying for a master's degree in media and public relations at Newcastle university set up a private ceremony for him and he managed to graduate just days before his passing. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
