To everyone who's going, "I'm not a homophobe! Really, I promise! I have perfectly legitimate reasons for hating this kid!"-- There's a line from Hamlet that comes to mind...Act 3, Scene 2, spoken by Gertrude.

Good for your son. He has serious guts. It takes a lot to show your family who you really are and you should be proud of him.

If that was to me- I don't hate the kid. I just think what he did was wrong. I really don't get all of these "be proud" comments, though. WTF is there to be proud of?? It's in No Way a ******* accomplishment to be gay.

But there's a way to go about it. This is just classless.

You totally deserve it... it sounds like he's gotten the idea likely that you'll have issues with it or his other parental figure and this way you deal with it front on without avoiding it or whatever and feels a bit more protected perhaps as the likelihood is someone will think he's alright still in the family. Even if the above's not true he's very brave doing it this way plus you don't have to go around telling everyone or answering questions he could deal with it all at once... I'm bi and haven't come out to a lot of my family due mostly to my grandparents being homophobic... I rather wish we'd family reunions and that i'd done that. Even if I'd gotten disowned by the grandparents their finding out would've been easier with others around and even if my aunt and uncle thought little of me if they found out they'd keep my greats from doing anything too harsh most likely. It also I think would've helped my parents to not slip to denial as easily as they tend to.

I thought "no FML here" but then I remembered.... once upon a time, at a family reunion of sorts, my ... I guess she was my fourth cousin or something... came along with her partner. Everybody gave her the death glare, and started talking behind her back. I was one pretty much the only one willing to go near her (I'm not kidding; my aunt actually went AROUND THE HOUSE just to get something from her car, rather than pass her). I suppose for the OP, maybe their family is like that? Maybe they didn't want their son to be subjected to that? [shrugs] But he'd have to go around them sometime, either way. Maybe, too, the OP's family will get the impression he's doing a "gay pride" thing and will think his mother is a homophobe? And of course, if he's trolling, this can be considered more an FML since he is NOT gay but everyone thinks he is... Personally I'd find it hilarious.

I hate how people say ydi to this. its not her fault!! jeeezee

Alright I'll start this off by saying I'm a lesbian myself, so I understand in a sense why this boy did what he did. I also understand why the mother is embarrassed. I'm not taking sides in this. Accepting yourself as a homosexual is hard enough already. I know this first hand. It took me a year to be okay with myself, before that I was suicidal. I just wanted the world to sort of know that I was gay when I came out. It would be easier for everyone. No awkward glances when they would ask me if I had a boyfriend, when we all knew guys weren't my preference. However, parents know what their kids are my mom knew but never wanted to face it. Parents know they either choose to deal with it or pretend it isn't true and hope that it will go away. If a parent out there actually really in their heart that their child is gay, then maybe someone needs to pay more attention, or their kids are pretending to be gay because they think it's "cool", which is kind of why I can't stand 98% of bisexuals. MOST not ALL are full of bull shit. I don't think it was right to wear a shirt like that especially to a family reunion. It makes things uncomfortable. I remember I came out to my mom's family in Mexico when I was drunk and I feel terrible about it because I didn't handle the situation accordingly. There is no reason to be ashamed of who you are. Being gay isn't a disappointment and it isn't a disease. If you aren't gay then homosexuality doesn't affect you. It isn't contagious. How about we rally against stupid drunk straight girls who make out with other girls for attention? We need to protect people from these morons, because to be honest they clearly have no self-esteem and we don't want that spreading around. Oh wait we can't do that because perverts everywhere will be upset! Because homosexuality behavior is okay between two girls, as long as it isn't 2 guys. How hypocritical can people be? Just worry about yourself. Stop judging and let people live who they are. for the OP, I'm sorry that your son felt it was appropriate to come out to your family that way. However, I do hope that your son can come to you for support and if not then at least to know that you are tolerant of his lifestyle.

i've seen that shirt before http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Clearance/Tops/Mom-Im-Gay-TShirt-223019.jsp good chance it was a joke shirt, hence it was a joke

I say good for your son! He may have chosen a way that way annoying to you, but maybe he felt like it was best to let everyone know at once and thought that a slightly humorous way of doing it would break the ice. Try your best not to be ashamed of him, and let him know that you still love him. You can even tell him that you wish he would have been more sensitive. In the end what's done is done and it is not an FML. Maybe in a few years this will even be a funny memory for you two.