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)
Story #2511
When I came out I was 17 and living in a very strict religious household. I came out to my best friend from college who I had a massive crush on; turns out she felt the same way. I waited another year until I finished college and was at Uni before coming out to my family. Due to the strict religious nature of my upbringing I no longer talk with my family but am extremely happy with my now wife. (F/29/Lesbian)
Story #2510
When I came out I made a little jar with the bi colours. I later made a new jar featuring the aroace colours and since then have kept it in my room. I also should probably come out as nonbinary (I kinda have already but everyone keeps using she/her pronouns around me even though I use they/them) before my birthday so I’m not getting all these “to my amazing granddaughter” cards or something… (Non-binary/13/Aromantic asexual)
Story #2509
When I came out I came out in two phases: once as bisexual (which I tried really hard to be) and now as lesbian. After a sequence of multiple abusive relationships, I told my friend that my attempt with this new guy was my absolute last shot with men. Five years later we moved across the country together, lived together, and had a wonderful healthy relationship. Going to college, we agreed to have an open relationship because I knew I liked women more but didn’t know how much more until this summer — in fact, until this summer I was wondering if I was just asexual because the only qualm he’d ever had in the relationship was that I wasn’t very physically affectionate. I learned very quickly that I am indeed not ace and instead a lesbian, a fact that was really hard for me to acknowledge because of how healthy my relationship with him was but I’m happy that he is still my best friend and now has a girlfriend who can love him for all that he is. (F/21/Lesbian)
Story #2508
When I came out, it was on my Snapchat story: I wrote “Happy Pride Month” and drew a pride flag. I got a lot of people in the following week asking if I was in the Community. One person even told me they were “glad I was experimenting”. It was the first time I encountered biphobia and it stung (I didn’t even realize how much it affected me until later that night). I call myself gay a lot, and so people are constantly saying “But aren’t you bi?” or “But that’s for guys. You’re lesbian.” It’s annoying, but unfortunately, something I just have to deal with in straight spaces, which is why I’ve joined my school’s GSA and a queer discord server. (F/14/Bisexual)
Story #2507
When I came out all of my friends were either also part of the community or very supportive. My mom is pretty supportive, but I’m not sure my dad believes me. He hasn’t explicitly said it but I can tell he thinks it’s ‘just a phase’ and I’ll realize I’m actually straight and I don’t actually know myself. (Bisexual)