Calling All Guncles From America’s Favorite Guncle
by Matt Jacobi
Can we talk about #GayUnclesDay for a moment? It is one of my most favorite days of the year because I am a true uncle at heart (or shall I say, “Guncle”). Yes, in the day and age of the hashtag, “Guncle” is one of the new social media words to add to our ever going, gay identity checklist. This past Sunday, I took a moment to think about my two little nieces and how much I genuinely love them. It gets me very emotional because my fiancé and I just asked them to be our flower girls in our upcoming May 25, 2019 wedding. Having them up there with us, while we exchange our vows is going to be a powerful moment. It defines the true essence of love, acceptance, family and togetherness. Can you imagine seeing your gay relative get married like that when you were five and eight years old? Times are indeed changing for the better when it comes to acceptance, but there is still so much more work left to be done. The good news is that I believe being a “Guncle” can help move the needle, and be another positive example of how we can make a difference.
You see, “#GayUnclesDay is not just a random hashtag holiday for me, it is something just a little more deeper than that. For me, it signifies a unique family bond and brings light to a day where gay men can take a quick pause, and celebrate the true relationship of being an uncle to their niece or a nephew. The day is also about honoring what your niece or nephew has done for you as a person, and what you can do for them as well. That my friends, is what I believe is the true meaning and point of #GayUnclesDay. So, as much as I enjoy a shirtless picture (I mean have you seen my Instagram?), I encourage all “Guncles” from near and far to actually take more time in being a strong role model than just using #GayUnclesDay as a photo-op to gain more followers.
We have a responsibility to make sure our nieces and nephews grow up in a more thoughtful and loving world. That means we need to reflect the kind of character we want to see in our niece and nephew’s future. Don’t you want them to be truthful and compassionate? Don’t you want them to be leaders? Don’t you want them to treat others with kindness, never judge, and to understand that love is love? Well, if you want to see more of that in our world, than teach your niece and nephews those values by acting upon it yourself. I believe it is our duty to show the youngest of generations how being gay is not a choice and that an “Uncle Matt” can love an “Uncle Nick” just like a mommy loves a daddy.
If we want to live in a more open-minded and compassionate world than we have to live proudly, freely and be better examples to our younger family members. I recently received an Instagram message from a closeted gay man that currently works in the television industry. He is also an uncle but is not out to his nephew or family members. This guy went on to ask me how I decided to make the choice to come out on television as gay man? My reply to him was that it was never a question to begin with. I had always made it my mission to just be me. Being my authentic self is one of the top reasons for my own success. Having honesty within ones self and reflecting nothing but your own truth is called living with integrity. And, having integrity is something I want for my nieces. Being honest is something I want for my nieces. This is why I encourage all the “Guncles” in the world to step up even more and be leaders of change. Schedule more time with your nieces and nephews, be more actively involved, introduce them to your boyfriend, and talk to them about your life.
You are the example that they need to see. So, let’s unite and promise to be the very best “Guncles” we can be, and do our part to make the change we want to see in the world by being the change within our own families.
With Love & Gratitude,
Matt Jacobi
@MattJacobi (Instagram and Twitter)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Matt Jacobi is a writer and COO for an award-winning creative agency. Jacobi has been a voice of truth on various world topics such as women’s rights, religion, mental health, bullying and equality. His current mission is to get more men to stand with women so that they can work together to make equality more of a reality. Jacobi was inspired to be an advocate for women’s rights since the birth of his two nieces.
Jacobi previously worked side by side with international entrepreneurs traveling the globe and assisting in bringing their various brands to life. This experience allowed him to work alongside New York City’s top publishing company, Simon & Schuster and PR powerhouse, Rubenstein Public Relations.
His earlier career began in television after graduating from Arizona State University where he landed his first job at ABC News in Phoenix, Arizona. He later made the move to Hollywood where he worked at the celebrity news show, E! News. Shortly after, The Style Network went on to feature him in a television wedding special capturing his lifestyle expertise. Jacobi continued his on-camera career as a television personality where he starred in two reality shows for the E! Network.
You can follow his daily adventures by visiting MattJacobi.com.