DEAR ABBY: We’re a same-sex couple, and my husband has never gotten along with my sister and her husband. The tension has grown over the 17 years they’ve known each other. I suspect my sister may feel competitive or even jealous of our relationship. She comes across as self-focused, while her husband is quiet and disengaged.
We see them once a year for a few days, but my husband now avoids them entirely — he even opts to stay in a hotel during part of their visit. I feel torn: I understand my husband feels disrespected, but I’m also hurt that my only close family isn’t truly welcome in our home. Please help. — AWKWARD SIS-UATION
DEAR SIS-UATION: If your sister and her husband can’t treat your husband with more warmth, I’m not sure why you would expect him to welcome them with open arms. Because you’re paying for a room anyway, why not put them up in the hotel and get together outside your home for meals or other outings? If your husband can limit his exposure to them without having to flee his own house, the situation may feel less awkward.
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