Coming out is something that the media seem to always portray positively “the bravery” etc, just look a Philip Schofield’s 20 year betrayal of his wife to appreciate that it’s rarely ever portrayed negatively in the press. So the family would have known that Luke would gain himself and by extension the show, positive feedback. Publicly, there was nothing for Luke to worry about.
Privately, he mentioned Daniel and Jack. If Luke knew for 6 years, he knew while sharing a bedroom with Daniel and possibly also Jack at some point, and presumably they get changed in front of their brothers etc. If you already know there may be homophobia from older brothers so possible bullying, or to a lesser extent the older brothers just feeling uncomfortable knowing that someone who sees them getting changed is attracted to men, then that may explain why it took Luke so long to come out…he needed his older brothers at a distance where he’s not alone with them. It also pressures them to say something positive publicly for the camera, bd forces them to behave with an acceptance that Luke may not have got if it was kept secret within the family.
What I can’t fathom is Sue, according to her she knew all along, and I’m not surprised if she did. But she was sexually active at 13, so where is her concern for Luke’s ability to be able to explore relationships before the age of 20? Teenage boys will do things such as watch porn, or they will have girlfriends/boyfriends they talk on the phone with, or maybe for Luke he as a group of friends who may also be gay/bi who he socialises with, or just friends he is close to that he is able to speak to about his sexuality (especially as it appears he couldn’t mention it to any family members).
Remember than Luke, an adult, was in that house throughout lockdown, his main escape being when he could go with Noel, who he also couldn’t confide in, to the magic pie shop. Where was the support for Luke to be able to speak to anyone, and have privacy from the brother’s he felt most uncomfortable about telling? Sue knew for years, but never acted, possibly he was the child from around age 14 who most needed his own bedroom and privacy until he felt ready to be open with everyone. How much sneaking around, or denying himself from having a supportive friendship group, has Luke had to endure for the last 6 years due to either not feeling able to be open or not having any physical space for privacy? His siblings went to the same secondary school, would he even have been able to tell his closest friends, would he have been able to join a friendship group with openly gay people without gossip of it getting back to his siblings? How many of his siblings have been able to have relationships with their choice of person prior to the age of 20…with little or no fear of negative judgement from the family?
If Sue did know, she did nothing to support Luke in being able to be ‘himself’ before the age of 20. An excuse to get him in his own boxroom, trouble sleeping alongside snoring bothers etc, would have been the way to allow Luke the privacy to not tell his brother’s immediately but also be able to connect with whoever he wanted by phone or online…something his heterosexual brothers no doubt can do while sharing with no worries. It would also have given the private space needed for Sue to have some reassuring conversations with Luke and encourage him to express himself to her, even if he took a while to be open with the whole family.
Max is the other one that I think should have been prioritised for his own small bedroom. He needs structure, so his own space away from the chaos, a desk to do his homework in peace and indulge in hobbies such as his science kits would have been beneficial.
By giving the older girls and Jack their own large bedrooms, it firstly doesn’t encourage them to move out and start their own lives. Jack is in the basement away from most of the chaos of the rest of the house, bizarrely in what appears to also be the biggest bedroom in the house with the most storage. Why would he motivate himself to leave when he has such space, privacy etc so cheaply? The same with Chloe to lesser extent but at least she had enough and left eventually. With Mille and Katie, giving them their own rooms not only encourages them not to move out in adulthood, but also gives them freedom to start filling that room with their own offspring. If Millie had needed to share a bedroom with 1 or 2 of her sisters all of this time…maybe she would have thought twice about having babies so young, because what she has got is basically a hotel room for her and her kids with meals and laundry all inclusive. Katie could easily go the same way, but of course, Sue has decided to give her a large bedroom with a double bed and room for a cot…it would have been more sensible to keep Katie sharing, even if with just 1 sibling.
how do you know, can’t see anything on her socials.
I really don't like it.
