Just need to vent.
My brother, who I came out to at age 22 (I'm 39 now) and who was seemingly fine about it has turned into a ##### about my being gay.
Ten years ago, I was his best man and in his wedding and even wore a dress (which I hate wearing). Moreover, I was ignoring the groomsmen who were behind me to please to "speak up" during the part where the minister asks if anyone objects to the marriage. I remained silent. His life, his decision. At the time, she was a huge ##### and none of them liked her. I never told my brother that they hated his to-be wife since these were his best buds at the time and I didn't want to get them in trouble. So in other words, I was supportive of him. Big time.
Fast-forward to March 2012. My SIL's sister was living with her boyfriend before marriage. (I don't care, but pertinent to story). My now-wife and I were asked by SIL to shoot the wedding in Austin (we are in Dallas). We said, "Sure!" Did it for free, spent hours retouching the photos, got to hang out with my niece and brother.
During the reception, told my brother that wife had asked me to marry her. No congrats. Just a "look" of disgust. He promptly informed me that marriage is between only a man, a woman, and God. I wanted to strangle him metaphorically by bringing up marriage in the Old Testament and in other religions where women are property. He even went as so far as to tell me that he was ok with my being gay unless I wanted a civil union and he never thought I would ever want to be married. So now he is not ok with it.
A few months later, my wife and I got married in Provincetown (September 2012) on the beach. It was a small wedding. Two on her side and two on mine. Instead of inviting everyone to the wedding, we decided to throw a big reception in October 2012. I invited my brother and his wife a month and a half in advance to the reception. My brother informed me that he couldn't make it because be had to play in his church band for a Sunday morning service. He could have found a replacement within 6 weeks. Additionally, there was no acknowledgement of our wedding, no congrats, not even a card by him.
Fast forward to December 2012. I found out later from my parents that he, my SIL, niece, and step nephew were in town. They did not tell us they were coming. Nice. So I texted him to ask him if he would come over to our house to pick up the kids' gift cards so that they would have it in time for Christmas (my parents live close by). I asked him to bring SIL and kids. He claimed that they were all sick. But that he would come get the cards. He shows up with a cup full of dip. Later, I found out he told my parents I smoked. They don't know he dips. Nice. Thanks, bro, for the needless back-stabbing. Not only that, but all he talked about was his upcoming mission trip to China. I'm like, "That's nice." He tells me how they have to go to China under the pretense of cultural awareness, and that they have to be careful when witnessing less they get in trouble with the government. So lying to go is ok? Gotcha.
After Christmas, my mother informs me that they don't want my wife and I around my niece together. Why? Because she looks up to me so much. And they think she will turn gay being around us because of how much she looks up to me. My wife and I made the decision a long time before that to act like just friends around her until she is old enough to understand. But nooooooo! Not good enough. And these are the same parents who I brought my ex home for holidays to spend with us. They were shocked when I initially told them that she was my GF. So when I brought up the fact that ex was allowed to be around my niece, I was told that she wouldn't have been allowed had they known about us. So basically they are admitting, in not so many words, that a five year old will figure out what they couldn't. Nice.
So, this week, my wife and I get a form letter In the mail about his mission trip to China, asking for donations.And he has the nerve to address the envelope as [first name] and [first name] when he knows damn well that her last name and mine are hypenated together. Both of us were furious as that was the ultimate slap in the face. You want our money but you won't recognize that we have a last name together? Screw you!
We made a donation to the Human Rights Campaign in his name, as did my wife's sister and her partner.
And what I want to know is this: Why was it ok for my niece to spend a lot of time with my SIL's unmarried sister and boyfriend who were co-habitating for a year prior to the wedding? But it is not ok for my niece to be around us in case she turns gay? By that logic, they will be ok if she co-habitates with any future boyfriend. Grrrr.
I want nothing to do with him. He has told my parents what a horrible burden my being gay has been on him. Despite having plenty of time to come to grips with it. As far as I knew, he was fine with it. All my friends who know him are shocked at what a ######## he has become over this.