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Gay Japanese Twitter user comes out to family, mother’s response moves Twitter to tears

Richard Simmonds Jul 19, 2018
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Amazingly open-minded mother wows son and Internet with words of wisdom.

Coming out as gay is a difficult thing to do in most Western countries, and doing so in Japan is no different. Those who do may face discrimination or ostracization from colleagues, friends, families, and dictionaries. Japanese Twitter user @_Fromage_, though, who revealed his sexuality and his long-term partner to his family during a stay in hospital, was pleasantly surprised by his mother’s heart-warming reaction.

https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1017751509038030849

“When I became ill and had to go into hospital, I called my family and my partner. There, for the first time, I told them that I was gay and introduced them to my partner of six years,” @__Fromage__ recounts. “My sister just laughed and said that she’d known, and my mum giggled and hid her face. That day, there was no more mention of the subject, but the next day I got a message from my mum.”

The mother’s message was:

“About him, and about him being your close friend, the one who gets you, I completely understand. He seems like a really nice guy. To tell the truth, I’m actually relieved that you have someone like that.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a boy or a girl. It must have been hard to find the timing to tell me, though. In the past, people doing what they actually wanted to do must have been really hard, but the times have changed. As much as I miss some parts of the olden days, I would never deny anyone the right to follow their heart. If you make each other happy, that’s the most important thing.

First, get to know each other, then I truly hope that your partner can become the person who knows and understands you best.”

Other Twitter users, some of whom had less positive reactions, were all supportive and praised @_Fromage_’s mother for her kind and thoughtful words and treatment of a son she clearly loves dearly.

“What an amazing family! Make sure you look after them, and your boyfriend!”
“I hope I can be as good a mum to my sons.”
“What a great mum…Some parents don’t care if they don’t know anything about their kids, but she obviously wants to know and be involved in everything. Such a cool family.”
“‘I would never deny anyone the right to follow their heart’”. ‘What a fantastic thing to say. I hope we can all learn from that mother that can respect everyone’s rights as individuals, even her own kids.”
“That’s real love, I think I might cry.”

Hopefully, @_Fromage_’s open-minded mother’s words will inspire other parents to remember what’s important and help other people to come out to their friends and families and it shows that support for gay relationships in Japan isn’t limited to its youth or its temples.

Source: Twitter/@_Fromage_ via Jin
Top image: Pakutaso