The Arranged Marriage

 

I haven't seen so much of Peter lately.

Now I'm finding out why.  Peter's family has been hounding him about getting married.  Nothing unusual about that.  Most of my Asian friends experience the same thing.  He is 33 and the oldest son.  The family is demanding progeny.  His younger brother already has four kids.  His sisters have many kids between them.  As the oldest son he must have kids.

We all know about the arranged marriages that happen in India.  Well, the same is true for Myanmar.  Peter's mom and sister are "helping him."  They have found a Burmese girl in the US for an arranged marriage.

The last time I saw Peter he told me, "I need to learn to love a girl."

How to get out of this situation?   There's no easy answer.  Come out, and be ex-communicated from the family?  Maybe even violence?   This is what he believes will happen.

It seems that the possibility he is gay has never been considered by the family.  A Western family might consider (and possibly ask about) that possibility.

We talked about his situation.   I don't see a way out.  He just isn't going to come out to his family.  

What percentage of the LGBT people in this world are not out?   I'm betting that it's higher than anyone would think.