Dear Diane: Maybe it’s best to hush

Dear Diane: I am a 33-year-old gay man. On New Year’s Day I came out to my family. Thankfully, my parents and two older sisters were very supportive.

My mother, however, told me that she would have preferred getting the news on an ordinary day rather than a holiday. She said it was a selfish move on my part. At first I was upset with Mom, but after careful consideration, I realized she was right.

Now that I’ve come out to my family, I’d like to come out at work, but I’m not sure how to go about it appropriately. Any suggestions?

— Gay in Galveston

Dear Gay: Here’s a suggestion: How about keeping your mouth shut?

Seriously, why is your sexuality any of your employer’s business? It isn’t your boss’s business. It isn’t the business of your co-workers. Your sex life is your own concern.

Have some sense of propriety, for crying out loud. No one else comes to work and announces their sexual preferences, why should you? There’s more to sexuality than gay and straight. There are fetishists, furries, bisexuals and all manner of combinations.

To put it another way: There’s nothing special about you. You’re just another human being who has his own way of living — just like every other human being. If for some reason a woman asks you out on a date, then feel free to let her know that you prefer men. Otherwise, hold off on making a production number out of something that’s no one’s business.