When I came out I was scared. I’ve struggled with my identity since I was 8 years old. Thankfully earlier that year my cousin came to visit and told my mother that they now use they/them and identify as nonbinary. Though my mom didn’t really understand she tried her best to be supportive and use the correct pronouns. They gave me courage to finally come out after all these years to tell her I’m a boy. She was pretty taken back and disappointed I didn’t tell her sooner but she’s trying her hardest to understand and is really supportive. I do feel guilty though as she adopted a daughter and not a son but I hope she still sees me as her child no matter what. She doesn’t use my correct name and pronouns yet but she says she wants to try and wants me to be comfortable. (TransMale/18)
Story #2466
When I came out, it was to a close friend. She had just come out to me as bisexual a week or so earlier, and I had already told them about being aroace, so I knew she was part of the community. She texted me to tell me she was actually a lesbian, and I responded cool, then I asked them what they would do about non binary pronouns. She said she would use their real pronouns, and asked, ‘hey, aren’t you nb too? I’m actually a demigirl.’ Her support also helped me tell another one of my friends. Hopefully you all can find your people who will support you. (NONBINARY/I HAVE NO GENDER ONLY RAGE/14/Aromantic Asexual Agender Nonbinary Trans [FtNB])
Story #2465
When I came out to my friend whom I have known since daycare it was very hard because I hadn’t come out in a while. When I was in my room with him (I have not seen him in two years), and I was playing with a doll he said, “That is some ‘gay sh*t'” and I replied “That’s me,” and he asked “You’re gay?” in a snarky voice, and I said, “Well, actually I’m non-binary” as I ran to the bathroom. I was thinking how he uses “gay” as an insult and how he is the exact boy I would NOT hang out with, but luckily all my other friends and family are really accepting. (Nonbinary/12)
Story #2464
When I came out to my family, I was in an arranged marriage with my husband. I didn’t feel very comfortable when I was young and I was living in an unaccepting family even though I hadn’t come out, yet . I had a friend who was trans and they would never call them by their real name and they eventually banned me from talking about them. When I got older I ignored my feelings but once I had my second child I was really feeling out of place. I talked to one of my distant cousins who was gay. I figured out my real feelings and in my realization, I had an affair with one of my lesbian friends from college. When my husband found out he was very angry but also understanding about my sexuality and later came out as pan. This was a very emotional time of my life but I eventually got through it and married the woman of my dreams (college wifey). (F/56/Lesbian)
Story #2463
When I came out to my grandparents about being nonbinary and having a new name, they said, “Oh (dead name), we will always support you. Won’t we support HIM?” (talking to grandpa). It made me feel uncomfortable about being nonbinary and I did not even correct them. I came out when I was 6, and they still make mistakes now. (Nonbinary/12)
Story #2462
When I came out I was 16. Been many years in the making and eventually only said something because I was afraid to start college with the dead weight of my old name with me. Things aren’t perfect yet but I’m finally getting somewhere 🙂 hoping to start T in a couple months 😉 (M/18/Transgender/straight)
Story #2461
When I came out, I was in a chicken coop. (Don’t ask.) I told my closest friends and they were all super cool about it. I’m pretty sure some of them knew already! Later, I taped a sapphic pride sticker to my school computer and someone noticed. She asked me what the flag was and I explained it to her, to which she responded, ‘So you’re questioning but you like woman?’ I smiled and said, ‘Couldn’t have said it better.’ (F/12/Sapphic)
Story #2460
When I came out it was to my friend. She was openly bisexual so I felt comfortable telling her. I told her and she completely supported me. I tried to tell my other friend but I didn’t know she was homophobic. I told her and she flipped out. She didn’t want to talk to me so I realized she wasn’t a real friend. (12/Lesbian/gay)
Story #2459
When I came out, I first came out to my brother. At the time, both of us were living as girls. I built a little house in minecraft with my pride flag as the color scheme, and he did the same. We later talked about it on a walk, and then came out to our other family together. (Masc enby/15/Aroace/polyam)
Story #2458
When I came out it was… different. I have a friend who introduced me to the LGBTQ+ community and helped me try and figure myself out a bit. I shuffled through several things before I found something that fit, and it was rather simple after that. I easily came out to online friends and friends who were LGBTQ+ themselves. My parents were a different story, being strongly Christian, I was worried they may be homophobic or something along those lines. They definitely suspected something, and my mom asked me if I was a lesbian once or twice. They found a Aroace flag on one of my devices and I had to explain. They were really chill, though I haven’t come out to them as Genderfae yet, I feel like it’ll go well when the time comes. To quote my mother’s reaction “It’s fine not to like anyone, why would we care about that anyways?” I would also like to say I am a proud Christian as well, and not all Christians are automatically homophobic 😀 (Genderfae/14/Aroace)