Treat your family better this holiday

The holiday is a time where families come together but for many it is a dreaded time because of relatives that do not have a filter. Here are some ways you can avoid making one feel unwelcome in your family festive season:

Don’t body shame

Mentioning how your nephew’s waist has gotten rounder, or that your granddaughter needs to “put some meat on those bones” is wrong and quite frankly, not your business. Medical aid, Fedheath says on its website “ While body shame isn’t helping us mentally, it turns out a poor body image could be harming us physically as well”.Weight is a sensitive issue and a surefire way to hurt one’s feelings, especially if they are not happy with their bodies. Until they bring up their weight, bite your tongue.

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Stop being homophobic

Twitter user @Mphetheli_ezra tweeted “Rapists and abusers will be breaking bread and jam with their families while queer brothers and sisters are at fear of going home to homophobes /transphobes”. This rings true to many members of the LGBTQ+ community who have to endure homophobic slurs and comments from relatives. Who someone is and who they decide to love is none of anyone but their concern. Refrain from asking queer relatives invasive questions and enforcing the stereotypes that endanger their lives and make them uncomfortable in their own homes.

Don’t be an enabler

If you have a loved one who is recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction, be supportive of them and not bring it up until they do. It is also important to try and keep those substances around them and not judge them.