This article explores aunthood as a morally charged category. By conducting a thematic analysis, we analyse advice-seeking posts published in Dear Savvy Auntie, an American online advice forum for aunts. We examine the moral tales of aunthood and particularly why some aunts might feel that they cannot openly articulate their sense of responsibility within the family context, and the consequences of this. This leads us to assert that one way of ‘doing’ moral aunthood can be a form of non-doing, and allows us to examine how aunthood is done and displayed in ways which are often hidden and unacknowledged. We suggest that caution, avoidance and self-restraint may be routine aspects of displaying aunthood and of working out family responsibilities and family obligations.

本文探讨了将阿姨作为道德责任类别。通过进行主题分析，我们分析了Dear Savvy Auntie（美国的阿姨在线咨询论坛）中发布的寻求建议的帖子。我们研究了关于阿姨的道德故事，尤其是为什么有些阿姨可能会觉得他们无法在家庭背景下公开表达自己的责任感，以及由此产生的后果。这使我们断言，“做”道德阿姨的一种方式可以是不做某事，并允许我们检查阿姨的做事和表现方式，这些方式通常是隐藏和未被承认的。我们建议谨慎，回避和克制可能是表现阿姨以及制定家庭责任和家庭义务的常规方面。