>>227944My parents especially my father always thought I was super weird and he thought I was gay too. I explained to him clearly at some point that I wasn't, showcased some of the tamer parts of my 2D collection too.
So later on at family gatherings whenever the topic came up I'd just casually said "oh I'm gay actually".
Then my parents would deny it and explain it away as a joke because I'm not "at the stage of my life to care".
My extended family and everyone we know is extremely homophobic, considering it's eastern europe so dropping that really made people uncomfortable since shit talking fags, minorities or jews is what most talks devolve into once people had their fill of local gossip.
I'd make remarks about the men present if someone tried to pester me to make them uncomfortable.
I guess if you do it in a flat tone, stone faced they get the message and drop the issue.
Some present would later rib the ones I mentioned about it. So if you didn't want to be the next potential target of the losers affections you'd shut the fuck up about it.
I don't really know what they think or what my parents later told them because everyone stopped mentioning shit like this to me.
I haven't been disowned or denied help either it just became clear that the topic is taboo. So no bridges burnt.
This obviously requires that your family at least somewhat cares about you or has to maintain an outward appearance of such. Basically saving face.