‘The View’ Co-Host Joy Behar Suggests Everyone Come out to Their Families for Thanksgiving to ‘See What Happens’

Joy Behar’s Thanksgiving advice is getting mixed reviews from The View fans. The ABC daytime show panelist advocated for bringing politics and religion to the dinner table this year at the holidays, arguing that LGBTQ+ people should use Thanksgiving as the moment they come out to their families.

During Wednesday’s episode of The View, moderator Whoopi Goldberg joked that if you were to bring up politics at Thanksgiving dinner, you should wait until the end so you can get up and leave right after. Behar, in response, said she thought it should be a more open topic. “I like to talk politics at Thanksgiving. I do. I’m interested in the subject,” Behar said of her own Thanksgiving celebration. “They always say don’t talk politics or religion. What’s more important than those? Those are interesting topics. What, are you gonna ask grandma if she’s still ovulating?”

Behar then took things even further: “And may I suggest – I’d like to suggest that everybody out there come out to your family this Thanksgiving,” she said. “Just come out. See what happens!” The rest of the panel seemed shocked at Behar’s challenge, with Goldberg asking her to clarify what she meant. “Come out gay. If you’re gay, come out. Meaning be your authentic self,” Behar answered. “I’m old enough now, I know that life is short, because it went by like that (snaps). I say that you should be yourself, this is my philosophy in life.”

People online were split with how to take Behar’s advice, with some noting that coming out is an incredibly personal experience and can sometimes even put the person coming out in danger. “Coming out is not something to tell people to do while smiling,” one person tweeted. “That is a very personal and emotional thing to do. It’s very glib and reckless of you to say, ‘you should just come out on thanksgiving.’”

“So is Joy going to take care of all the people who come out and get abandoned by their families?” another person asked. Others thought Behar’s message of living your life open and proud was a powerful one. “Joy was on top of her game today! Come out. Be who you are,” one Twitter user noted. “On Thanksgiving. Live your life for yourself, not for others’ approval. …As someone who’s been around for a while, this is all solid advice. “