okay, now I may be reconsidering tsubaki

Could it be possible the mother suspects the daughter is too boyish and is trying too hard, out of fear of her being gay, and that's why she's so gung-ho to get Natsumi/Utsumi to be accepted--her own fear for her own daughter. I mean, she is so intent on being there, on being "accepting," on making Utsumi/Natsumi talk and come out.....I feel there's an agenda and it may be about daughter.

see, I felt that she had an ulterior motive-but I did not relate that to her daughter being too boyish. I mean from what I've seen I haven't seen the daughter behavior in any gender-stereotypical manner.

The daughter looks shy, and reserved. But, that's all I've seen.

Are you referencing the seen where the mother is all in utsumi's face-talking about a reunion and forcing everyone to accept him? Then the daughter contorting her face and dropping the tiles?

I can see what you mean, if that's what your referencing. But, I'd rather wait and see before saying anything. I mean for example, I was incredibly reserved, and I had an extroverted aunt that would get in my face and ask why I couldn't be more out-going, or why I was so gloomy...There were even times where I felt that she talked waaay to much like the mother in the manga, and I just found it incredibly irritating-even though she had good intentions.

But, the daughter's situation could be as you stated. It's just we don't know. But otherwise, I totally agree the mother has an ulterior motive for getting involved with chowder.

I feel like that might be her ulterior motive, to sort of trick herself into thinking that she's actually supportive because of suspicions she might have about her own daughter. Ultimately though, I feel like she's the author's representation of the straight, cis people who try to act as ally's to lgbt+ but are really just doing it to feel go about themselves especially with that last seen how she was all "oh I'll make them accept you haha"

I think you may be onto something. But, it wouldn't be that she is trying to feel good about herself. more just like avoid.

in Psychology there are are 8 or 15 coping mechanisms for when the consciousness can't deal with what the subconsciousness is trying to reconcile. The one we are seeing right now is called sublimation.

In sublimation it is the "Acting" the opposite of what you are feeling. For example, say there is a son taking care of their elderly grandmother-who is abusive. Instead of abandoning her, or abusing her, he smiles and becomes even more caring and gentle. Regardless, of the fact he actually hates her.

I want to stress that we do not know what the mother is thinking and her ignoring the daughter can be also qualified as also denial. As to what we don't know. But, we do know based on what she says about homosexuality and gender identity being disabilities that she does not see it in a positive light.

I can't say that she has malice because she could just be ignorant. We don't know because we can't hear her thoughts. But, her callousness is hurtful, and she sees these individuals as unhealthy.

It does not agree with her idea of normal or healthy. Therefore, she is trying to normalize it by forcing "acceptance" on others when in reality she hasn't completely accepted the other party.

Nevertheless, there is always discomfort, a need to force acceptance, and because of that I don't think she is trying to feel good about herself, but rather force her reality on others...