I guess for some people they justify their continued existence through feeling superior to others. And their hatred is an extension of that by othering a group of people with anything they can come up with.

My relatives are a great example of that. As long as they have a group of people to hate and feel superior to, they're happy.

There's a reason I say "relatives" rather than "family" here. You choose your family, you can't choose your relatives. And the way they treated me and others, they are no longer family in my eyes.

And they no longer saw me as family the moment they found out I was queer.

They had found a lightning rod for their hatred in the form of someone they knew. I left that Christmas celebration fearing for my life.

On a happier note, find the family that loves you for you. It will be hard, it might take awhile, but having that family to lean on is something that will add so much positivity to your life. And that positivity is something that all people need.

A lighthouse in the distance on a turbulent sea

Seeing it there brings serenity

The peaceful shelter in your time of need