Story #2528

When I came out I was 11. At that time I identified as pansexual and had posted about it online. My parents, being overprotective, read it. Later, at a sleepover one September 15, my (lesbian) friend dared me to officially come out, as my parents hadn’t said anything on the topic. We made a little sign saying “am pansexual. – [deadname]”. (Transmasc/genderfluid/nonbinary/Pomoromantic/asexual/aro-spec)

Story #2457

When I came out everything felt weirder. I feel like everyone I told (myself included) just tried to avoid the topic. I felt like I was half in and half out of the ‘closet’. Different people in my life responded differently and knew different amounts: my mom knew but didn’t think that nonbinary people could have gender dysphoria, my dad sort of knew but thought it was ‘just a phase’ and didn’t take me very seriously, my dad’s partner was supportive, my mom’s partner didn’t know and thought that ‘there’s no possible way that there are that many transgender people. I mean, there’s always going to be one or two, but…’, and so one. I was (and still am) so scared of rejection. I came to a point where I felt that I had ‘come out’ too much to pretend it had never happened yet too far to fully come out without making it seem like I was craving attention, or doing too much. Because I never knew how to properly come out, no one knows my full identity, just that I use they/them pronouns (sort of), that I don’t dress femininely (at least most of the time), and that I wasn’t straight (even though I never clearly stated my orientation). (Nonbinary Genderflor Genderflux Trans/11/Arospec Ace-spec Abroromantic Lesbian)