Internet users have backed a man who refuses to let his 20-year-old niece temporarily live at his home while she doesn't have a place to stay because she's homophobic.
In a post shared on Reddit in August, under the username u/Icy-Cantaloupe-4063, the poster wrote that he came out as bisexual to his family years ago. While they all accept him and support him for who he is, his niece "doesn't make a secret of her homophobia."
"I don't know where her [beliefs] stem from but the day I first introduced my husband/ then boyfriend to her family, she has been very hostile towards us (she was 14 at the time)," the poster wrote. "She refuses to speak to my husband, barely acknowledges us at family gatherings and despite her father constantly chastising her, frequently uses the f-slur to refer to members of the LGBTQ+ community and calls same-sex relationships disgusting."
Due to severe flooding, the poster's brother and his family, including his niece, were forced to evacuate their house. When his brother asked if they could stay at his place, the poster replied that they all could except for his daughter, because of the way she has always treated them.
Andrew Lieb, discrimination attorney with Lieb at Law, told Newsweek: "Uncle is right. No one needs to expose themself to ridicule, judgment, and contempt, especially in their own house. As a general rule, the sooner you distance yourself from toxic people, the better off you will be.
"Yes, it's sad that his niece lost her home, but she already made her bed in being a homophobe towards her uncle and, in turn, by denying her uncle and his husband their dignity, so she has no right to one of her uncle's beds," Lieb added.
The poster wrote: "Apparently, she's been staying with a friend for a few days now and she's been telling her mother how awful it is there. My brother is still supporting my decision, but his wife has started trying to convince me to let her eldest daughter move in.
"She's been pushing me to get over her comments because my niece is still 'young and naïve' and that she couldn't have known her actions would have major consequences," the poster added. "She's advising me to be the bigger person and not let my 'hard feelings' for her daughter stop me from helping a family member because that would be an 'AH [a******] thing to do."
Pew Research Center says that about 7 percent of Americans are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Among those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, 62 percent identify as bisexual, while 38 percent are gay or lesbian, as of 2022.
The post quickly went viral on the platform, receiving over 14,000 upvotes and 5,000 comments. One user, hazeandgraze, commented: "she's living with the consequences of her horribleness by having to stay somewhere she doesn't like because she couldn't keep her mouth shut about her disgusting views on same-sex relationships.
"If I were you I'd say that you're happy to let her stay as soon as she genuinely and honestly proves she no longer feels that way towards you and your husband. I would never let someone who disrespected me and my husband stay with us, family or not, unless they were literally about to be on the streets (which she isn't), and even then it would be the very very last option."
Chichi98986 wrote: "Let's go over this shall we: Firstly- she has been making passing hurtful comments against you for years for your sexuality. Secondly- and now that she is in deep trouble, she wants to enter under the same room as you? The person she hurt....uh nah.
"Edit: Thirdly- SHE IS A GROWN WOMAN, forget childish behavior, if she could act civilized when she was a child then it is too late, let her stay at a motel/ hotel and think over her life choices. IF YOU HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY, SAY NOTHING AT ALL."
And DisneyBuckeye posted: "Niece is not 'young and naïve', she is 20. She's had 6 YEARS to come to the realization that her behavior is unacceptable, and she has not. OP [original poster], stick to your guns and do NOT let her into your home."
Newsweek reached out to u/Icy-Cantaloupe-4063 for comment via Reddit chat. We could not verify the details of the case.
If you have a similar family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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