Gay Uncles Day: Who Are the "Guncles"? [Plus a Sneak Peek to a Book]

gay uncles guncles uncles book

By Fatima Virrey , Parent Herald Aug 10, 02:20 am

Every second Sunday of August, the world celebrates Gay Uncles Day. The celebration started in 2016.

"Guncles" or the gay uncles are always loved by their nieces and nephews.

There are not many stories about the experiences of "guncles" or gay uncles. However, a guncle, Glenn Garner, just recently published a book that includes tips, wisdom, and anecdotes of his skills as a guncle to 22 nieces and nephews. The book is entitled "The Guncle Guide."

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Go order my first book in time for Guncles Day (second Sunday in August)! #lib The #GuncleGuide is full of sweet anecdotes, fun tips, and informative resources for everyone’s favorite family member, the gay uncle (guncle), and the people who love them. It features a preface by @whatsupdanny and a foreword by @johnnysibilly! There’s also some bits of wisdom from other famous guncles. A post shared by Glenn Garner (@xoxo_glenn) on Aug 6, 2020 at 9:43am PDT

In the book, he discussed how being a gay uncle changed his perception of parenthood.

A Sneak Peek to The Guncle Guide

In an article published by TODAY, a chapter of the book was shared with the readers.

Chapter 9 of Garner's book: The Guncle/Father, talked about his experience taking care of his sister's twins. It was an enjoyable and exciting experience for Garner. He first picked the kids at preschool and brought them home to the playroom. The two kids were having fun until they started picking on each other.

Garner shared that he succeeded in stopping the twins from hitting one another. However, they started crying uncontrollably, which made things worse.

(Photo : Screenshot from Instagram)
Gay Uncles Day: Who Are the "Guncles"? [Plus a Sneak Peek to a Book]

Even though it was difficult for Garner to calm down the twins, he discovered something about himself. He said, "I didn't even know how to take care of myself yet, but I was overcome with this sense of paternal love. It was as if in that moment, my big gay version of a biological clock had begun ticking."

The Gay Uncles Day

In 2016, the unofficial celebration of Gay Uncles Day started when Simon Dunn, a former rugby player, posted on Instagram a photo of him and his nephews on the beach. That photo was posted on August 10, 2016. In an interview with Instinct Magazine, Dunn said that he wanted to normalize the role of guncles or gay uncles. He said, "My goal in promoting this day of celebration is to normalize the role of the gay uncle, cousin, brother... whatever, in the family and in society." On that same day, a lot of celebrities followed Dunn's initiative. The list includes Anderson Cooper.

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My French nephew Martin on the Quadrado in Trancoso A post shared by andersoncooper (@andersoncooper) on Aug 14, 2016 at 5:36am PDT

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Our fave moment at Summer In The City (UK's Vidcon)!! How's your day? #GayUnclesDay - This week's YouTube video: "Being In A Gay Open Relationship" (link in bio!) A post shared by Jack & Ben (@ourswirllife) on Aug 14, 2016 at 12:44pm PDT

Since 2016, the Gay Uncles Day is celebrated every second Sunday of August.