Yeah, I have relatives who won't speak to me because I'm gay. And my partner has some family who'll be nice to us on the surface, but on their car bumpers and front lawns are the names of the most homophobic Republican candidates. I know, perhaps a bit redundant, since virtually all Republican candidates these days must be homophobes in order to win their Party endorsement.
(One of the funniest moments was when one of my partner's Republican relatives, who was running for office, was hosting the annual 2-day family gathering at his house that year. We both got invited by the family patriarch, but nobody informed the host/candidate. But then the candidate hadn't told anyone outside his immediate family that he had invited the press to come and do an interview that same day. Basically using his many relatives as props to reinforce his campaign image as a solid family man.
When my partner & I came to the door he almost fainted, the shock on his face too funny. "What are you doing here?" he almost yelled. "You're not supposed to be here until tomorrow!" Fortunately the head of the family (very Italian people) came to our rescue, saying he had invited his brother, who always attended the entire event, along with me, ending the discussion.
But now the candidate was rather comically trying to hide us, moving us from one room to another, his wife also very obviously herding us away from anywhere the press might go. We thought it hilarious, especially considering that we certainly weren't decked out in pride stuff, nor likely to be seen holding hands or kissing. We concluded that they feared we still might look or sound gay, or worse, might speak to the press and reveal that we're the kind of people with whom a Republican candidate can't be associated, sorta like convicted felons.
Well, turned out the press never arrived. And afterwards there was a family rift over our treatment, which was obvious to everyone, though we ourselves didn't make an issue of it. Interesting, because some might not support gays, but as an Italian the candidate had made the unforgivable mistake of showing disrespect to a family elder, my partner. Incidentally, he lost the election by a landslide to a Democrat.)
