When I came out to my best friend who is bisexual, I was pretty nervous but I knew she would accept me so I kept confident. I came out via text while we played an expose game and we had to write stuff about us and you could guess if it was true or false. I wrote that am trans and use he/him pronouns. And she was just like stunned first and then asked if it was true and I said yes. Then she told me how proud she was of me coming out and that she would try her best to not misgender me. (She misgendered me pretty much all the time in the start, but after like a month it got better but she still forgets my name now sometimes.) (Trans male/13)
Story #2520
When I came out to my roommate the other night, I was really worried about how this could change our friendship. I’m 20 years old and it was my first coming out. I’ve known for 6 years but only recently felt safe and brave enough to actually talk about my feelings. I’m glad I did come out to her because it feels like I’m finally breaking free, and she assured me that she’s going to accept me no matter what. (F/20/Lesbian)
Story #2519
When I first came out I was with my sister and we were at a restaurant. She called a friend of hers over and he sat with us. After an hour he got up to go to the bathroom and at that moment my sister looked at me and said, “So do you like him?” I was floored; all I could do was sit there. She looked at me and said, “I know, Brad.” I replied, “Yes, he is cute, and yes, I am gay.” My life got so much better after that night. (M/48/Gay)
Story #2518
When I came out my parents used my name for a bit, but then my mom was afraid that I was faking it and they stopped. Two years later I’m supported by my family and everything is great. (M/16/Gay/FtM)
Story #2517
When I came out, I was a late bloomer. I was a teen in the 70’s, and … I never even considered telling anyone. Even in my 50’s, I wasn’t telling psychiatric practitioners. Along the way, only one close friend, who was extremely broad-minded, was let in on the secret. One Friday evening in 2018, when I was 59, it came to me like a gentle revelation as I watched a trans-related YouTuber. I was going to do it. I don’t live anywhere near family, but have a large contingent of friendly coworkers. I started slow, with very subtle nail color, and pierced my ears after a couple of months. I also started wearing women’s scents. All the changes were welcomed, and even cheered on, by the people at work. In the first year, I started laser hair removal on my face, and almost on the year anniversary, started hormone therapy. Shortly thereafter, I told my managers at work. The next winter, I ventured to work the first time en femme, in black slacks and an attractive top.. I was up to skirts in less than a week. And for Valentine’s day, I left Hershey’s kisses with “It’s a girl” stickers on the bottom, with a nice card for the entire staff. Very well-received. I have been so fortunate! Out and obvious before the lockdown. And this September … I had “the surgery.” I knew from the beginning I’d want that. I got there. (F/64/Lesbian)
Story #2516
When I came out to my aunt, I was terrified. Me, my younger brother, my parents, and my aunt were on a road trip to Miami for my cousin’s wedding. I had my Kindle Fire that my parents let me use for long trips, and I had this little drawing app made for little kids, one of those where the only option for pen color was rainbow. I thought about it for about half an hour, silently weighing my options. Finally, I wrote it out, and tapped her leg. “I need to tell you something,” I wrote. “Don’t react out loud, my parents don’t know. I’m Trans. I just wanted to tell you.” She paused the show she was watching to read. She grabbed her phone, and hopped onto a spam text she got. “That’s nice,” she said. “I support you. Be yourself.” Moral of the story: Be yourself. It can be scary, but it’s worth it. Take small steps, and you don’t have to come out to everyone at the same time. Be you! (Trans Male)
Story #2515
When I came out, I told my parents that I didn’t feel like a girl, but not like a boy either. My dad asked, “What are you then, an alien?” My brother, who is extremely supportive, said, “Non-binary”, but my dad said that was fake. Then, my mom made a whole lecture on “puberty discomfort” and I sat through it, but I’ve felt disconnected from my gender for about a year now. I’ll try coming out to my parents when I’m older, so maybe then they’ll accept that I know who I am. Take something from my story; don’t forget: only you get to decide who you want to be. (Non-Binary/11)
Story #2514
When I came out to my (homophobic) parents I did it with a crossword puzzle. I left it for them before I went to school, so they would do it when I wasn’t around. Of course they waited until I was home to solve it. They told me they still love me. They said, ‘Everyone has challenges in this life, this is yours,’ and my mom was like, ‘Are you sure about this? I mean sometimes these things…’ We all know she was about to say, sometimes these things go away. (F/14/Bisexual)
Story #2513
When I came out to my mother as ftm, she told me that it was just “a trend” and that she will not “subscribe to your ideology.” She then refused to call me by my preferred pronouns (he/him). I was heartbroken, and that lasted for a while. However, that was 2 years ago… Today… I am Bigender. My pronouns are now she/him, and I feel very comfortable about it. I’ve came out to me friends, and they’re all supportive. It’s just my parents who still think and want me to be straight and cis. (Bigender/14/Lesbian/Demiromantic/Greysexual/Polyamorous)
Story #2512
When I came out, it was to my parents. They had known I was questioning my sexuality, but they didn’t exactly like it. I had made comments about me being aroace, but every time had felt like I was being judged for bringing it up so often (actually about once a month — and I’m aroace year round lol), and that my parents didn’t approve. I finally had another comment, and afterward I told my mom that I felt like I was not allowed to talk about my sexuality. They had made it clear that aroace was approvable because I’m not attracted to girls, but still not as good as straight (little do they know I’m pan oriented). (Non-binary trans masc/15/Trans non-binary gender-fluid pan-oriented aroace)