Coming out to your family is an extremely personal experience that should only be done on your terms, whenever you feel ready to do so.
It can be nerve-wracking to share this part of your life with your folks and you certainly don’You don’t have to feel pressured to do this.
That’s why when The ViewJoy Behar, Joy Behar’s host suggested on-air to members of the LGBTQ+ Community “just come out”Thanksgiving is a time to spend with their families and “see what happens” it’s sparked heavy backlash online.
Behar offered some suggestions for avoiding the awkward conversations that families might have at the holiday dinner table. “Everybody out there, come out to your family this Thanksgiving,” adding: “Just come out!”
You can see the exchange below at the 1:12 mark.
Although Behar might have said it with the best intentions, it was not the right thing.
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Whoopi Goldberg, confused, asked her co-host. “Come out … the door?”
Behar clarified: “Come out …come out as gay!”
“If you’re gay, come out. Meaning be your authentic self,” Behar said. “I’m old enough now, I know that life is short, because it went by like that (snaps). I say that you should be yourself, this is my philosophy in life.”
She continued: “My whole thing is you come out and be yourself, don’t let anybody tell you what you have to be in life.”
Online, many felt that Behar was a cis-straight woman who simplified the emotional strain of letting your family know.
“I just want to know why @TheView still has @JoyVBehar on the show it’s time to put her away coming out of the closet is not as simple as she is claiming it to be …”One was written.
Another person tweeted this: “I sorry eh but I don’t agree with Joy Behar. Coming OUT is a process. Telling you family you GAY is one step. Dealing with the psychologically fallout us another. I don’t believe anyone should be forced to come OUT. If you GAY, you GAY. It’s nobody’s business. Let people live!”
Behar was directly addressed by one Twitter user. “is coming out a Joke to you? How dare you take a very important and sensitive moment in someone who is part of the LGBTQIA Community & turn it into a joke? Some have been shunned from their family because of it. Not a joke. Be ashamed.”