Leo, a 30-year-old, recently experienced an explosive situation at his mother’s funeral involving his 14-year-old “nibling” (a gender-neutral term for a niece or nephew), Alex, who identifies as nonbinary. This event has heightened tensions in the family, leading Leo to ponder whether he was in the wrong.
A Nonbinary Identity Creates Family Strife
Alex’s coming out as nonbinary had created a significant stir within their family. Alex’s grandmother, deeply affected by the revelation, struggled to accept this change.
Leo, too, found himself at odds with his nibling’s identity, believing that they needed more substantial support rather than a gender transition.
Alex’s Revelation
Four months ago, Alex had come out as nonbinary, embracing a whole new identity that left their family bewildered.
Identity Shift
Suddenly, the things they once loved became uncomfortable, and their personality took a massive shift.
Makeup and anything “too feminine” was shunned, and they began wearing a binder regularly.
The Challenge of Adjusting to Alex’s Identity
Even their name had changed, leaving behind the identity their family had always known. This had caused friction within the family and at school and social gatherings.
Breaking Point
Alex’s refusal to acknowledge their given name had even led them to walk out of their own birthday party when it was used.
Leo’s Concerns
Leo voiced his concerns about Alex’s transformation, but his worries fell on deaf ears, especially with Alex’s father dismissing these concerns.
However, the breaking point came during a heart-wrenching event – Leo’s mother’s funeral.
A Funeral Turns Tense
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Leo’s brother and nibling arrived at the funeral. As the family gathered to mourn the loss of their beloved mother, things took a sharp turn when Leo noticed Alex’s outfit.
Noticing the Binder
Alex wore a dress, which Leo deemed acceptable, but it was then he noticed Alex was wearing a binder beneath their dress!
An Expectation of Respect at the Funeral
The sight triggered a surge of anger in Leo. He believed that, out of respect for his mother’s funeral and the knowledge of Alex’s grandmother’s disapproval, Alex should have set aside their differences for just one day.
Heated Exchange Over Alex’s Outfit
Seeing red, Leo approached the duo, confronting them over the binder. He implored them to show some respect for their grandmother’s funeral by removing the binder and dressing “properly.”
Alex’s Father Intervenes
The confrontation escalated quickly. Choice words were exchanged, and tempers flared until Alex’s father intervened, leading them away from the scene. It was a moment of deep division within the family.
Caught Between Support and Disagreement
In the aftermath of the incident, Leo found himself torn between the support of some family members and the disagreement of younger relatives, who echoed Alex’s sentiments.
The family was now a battleground, leaving Leo conflicted. He turned to Reddit for advice, as many others have done.
Grief Affects Everybody Differently
Many users on the platform expressed their opinions with one clear message: Leo was a jerk. They felt strongly that he had acted insensitively and inappropriately during a moment of grief and remembrance.
Bad Timing
Redditors believed this was neither the time nor the place for such a confrontation. One user summed up the sentiment by saying, “Your nibling spent a lot of time with their grandmother and deserved the opportunity to say goodbye and have closure.
Your brother, who I assume is also your mother’s child, deserved that too. Instead of supporting your family and allowing them to support you, you took it upon yourself to cut your brother and nibling off from the chance to mourn their mother/grandmother.”
Inappropriate Questioning
Some users thought Leo’s focus on Alex’s choice of underwear was invasive and inappropriate, especially during a family funeral. One Redditor tore into Leo, stating, “You are a 30-year-old man. I understand grief can manifest itself in various ways, but perhaps focusing on spending time with your sibling(s) and looking after your well-being during this time will be more healthy and productive than focusing on the presentation of your nibling’s chest and what underwear they are wearing under their clothes to a funeral. “
Focusing on Alex’s Identity
Many Reddit users thought that Leo’s fixation on the binder was misplaced. It wasn’t about a piece of cloth; it was about allowing Alex the space to express their identity.
One Redditor explained, “They put their discomfort aside and even wore a dress to be respectful of the situation, and you’re angry because they wore a binder instead of a bra?!? You do realize that a binder is not super comfortable, right? They did their best to be appropriate to the situation, and it wasn’t enough for you.”
Focusing on His Grief
The consensus on Reddit was clear: Leo was in the wrong. Redditors urged him to focus on his family’s needs and their own grief instead of fixating on Alex’s appearance and choices.
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The post Bra vs Binder: Transgender Teen’s Underwear Choice Takes Front Place at Grandma’s Funeral – Family Divided! first appeared on Mama Say What?!.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sangiao Photography. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit
