Guilty Pleasures discussion
Outing your parents
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I don't believe in making life decisions for other people. I know I'd hate it if someone did something like that to me, and I believe we should do to others as we would wish to be done to us.
I read "Fun Home," a great book. And I'm not sure Bechdel outed her father. I believe it was her mother who outed him. Bechdel was only telling the story. Also, facts like these are not peripheral. They're central to the meat of the memoir. I can't imagine how you could honestly tell the story while ignoring that pretty large elephant in the room....
I agree with Skip about "Fun Home" (which I also thought was a great book)... the story would not have been the same if Bechdel had tiptoed around the issue about her father. It actually made the bigger picture story that much more complex. But then again, perhaps it is different when the parent has passed away? Does that make them fair game? I don't know. If the parent was still living, then I would definitely agree with Alex... or at least think twice. Interesting question!
I read (or read most of) Honor Moore's book. I didn't think the story was handled with complexity. It seems like a rush job to me, and I found it gossipy besides. (I read and reviewed her early biography-memoir, 'The White Blackbird,' of which I thought very highly).So, in principle, I am not against outing one's parents, but Moore's memoir left me dissatisfied. As a memoir, I also did not find it artful (as I said it felt rushed to me).
I haven't read Bechdel's. It's been recommended to me before, so I plan to.
I liked both books and felt the stories were handled with intelligence, complexity and compassion--yet it's a very interesting ethical question I thought I'd throw out there...especially since I'm writing a memoir myself that deals with some similar issues.