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As it stands right now, I'm not really happy but I don't think that my family and friends would accept me if I was openly bi.
So it's either continue to live life the same old way, unhappily, or test out the waters secretly (I do live 2 hours away from the family and most of my friends as I have just moved).
Any thoughts?
Actually, yes. I spent way too many precious years of my life thinking exactly that same thing. Due to an unusual series of circumstances, I ended up coming out to one of my sisters, with whom I had always been very close. She convinced me that I HAD to come out to the rest of the family. I thought about it for a while, and realized that if I came out, and they accepted me, everything would be better for everyone. If I came out and they didn't accept me, they didn't deserve me. Either way, it was more important to me to be honest with myself than it was to worry about how anyone else felt. I worked up my nerve, and decided that if they have a problem with it, it's their problem, not mine... and their loss, have a good life.
I was fortunate. No problems.
But if any had gotten bent out of shape, I was (at that point) prepared to say "I'm no different now than all the years you have known and loved me. If your feelings change, it proves you are shallow, and not worthy of my friendship." I never did have to say it, but I would have, and I would have meant it.
I really wish that people would explore their sexuality BEFORE getting married and having kids. And if they DO wish to have the whole family/kid thing, then the wife/husband should know about it before tying the knot.
This is why gay marriage oughta be allowed -- it's sexual discrimination to declare that only "straight" people can have a family life. Jeez Louise!
And for the record, my ex is one of my best friend nows, and yes, we do Christmas as one big family.
THANK YOU, HOTMILF!!!!! You've got it figured out. The problem breaking up these families is not homosexuals, but homophobia. If we weren't treated as third-class citizens, the number of (closeted) gay men marrying straight women would be cut down to probably about zero. I'm sure some gay men would still marry women, but it would be on the up-and-up, and for reasons that they share. It would not have to be one person lying to everyone else to keep up appearances. Bless you!