When I came out it was when I was in the Army and it was shortly before Obama allowed trans people to serve openly. My retention NCO was trying to keep me from ETSing and was trying to get me to sign an extension. He asked me what it would take for me to extend my service and I told him I was trans. It apparently didn’t click in his head what I meant because he said I was going to go to school to be a combat engineer and to not worry about me being a transportation operator. After going back and forth several times that I am trans he finally realized what I saying by just saying, “Ooh” in a very embarrassed way. (Transfemale/28/Transgender MtF)
Story #1839
When I came out I didn’t know what to expect. I have had feelings for girls since the fourth grade… but I’ve known I had always liked guys too. I wanted to come out to my cousin first because they are in lgbtq+ community. They said they will support me if I ever needed it. They promised they wouldn’t tell anyone because I was afraid. I still have not come out to my guardians because I am scared to say my sexuality. (F/13/Bisexual)
Story #1846
When I came out, it was at first to just one of my friends who was easily supportive, and we made jokes together for a few weeks. Me, her, and some other friends were having a discussion about abortion laws and at some point we started discussing if we would get abortions and the likelihood of needing one. So I turned to my friend, who knew I was ace, and asked her the likelihood of me getting pregnant and needing an abortion. We both started laughing at that joke and I ended up coming out to the whole group and we just talked about LGBT matters for the rest of lunch. (F/14/Demi-romantic/ace)
Story #1837
When I came out I started by telling my friend over Instagram, because she did a poll on her story asking who was LGBT. I said yes and then I told her not to tell anybody ’cause I was too scared. About 3 months later I told my other friend, because I was feeling really upset and she could tell something was wrong. We talked about it for about an hour. She helped me to have the courage to come out to my parents, which I finally did about 2 weeks later. I wrote a letter to them but I ended up just telling them. Then I told all of my close friends through an Instagram post. Everyone was really supportive but I still feel afraid of talking about it. I don’t have any queer friends and I just feel like a freak every time I talk about it. (F/22/Bi)
Story #1845
When I came out I was fifteen. I had just found out that I was bi. I went to school at that time and I told myself I wouldn’t tell anyone, not even my friends, because I was scared that they wouldn’t know how to act around me. One night, I went to a party and got so drunk that I screamed on the top of my lungs that I was bi and then I fell on the ground and started sobbing. People were super nice. They gave me speeches on how I should accept myself and carried me to my friend’s car so she could drive me home. (F/Bisexual)
Story #1835
When I came out my husband almost killed himself. Everyone has accused me of being a lesbian my whole life and I hated it! I always knew who I was, but I never accepted myself. I was emotionally/mentally killing myself, but 3 kids, 1 marriage, & a chow chow later I’m a happier person. 🌈 Bring it on LIFE🤜🏻 (F/27/Lesbian/bisexual?)
Story #1833
When I came out, it was first to my sister, and then later to my close friend group (including a neutral friend who just happened to be there at that moment). Today, a few months later, my sister convinced me to come out to my parents with a card that she and I made. It had a heart with the bisexual flag in it, and underneath it, it said, “Hi, I’m bisexual. Gotta go, so bi.” I never knew my coming out would include a pun. My parents were very supportive and I think my father was proud of our using a pun. (F/Bisexual)
Story #1826
When I came out, it was yesterday. I FaceTime my best guy friend most nights, and a few nights ago, we were playing Truth or Dare over the phone. He asked which of my crushes had starred in my last dream, and I told him that he didn’t know them, but then I went on to say, “Ya, she was really pretty.” He then was like, “Wait, what?” and I told him to just drop it, but then last night he was like, “Hey, are you bi?” and now he knows. It was kinda funny because he said a lot of comments I’ve made in the past now make a lot more sense. 😀 (F/14/Bi-curious/queer)
Story #1825
When I came out, it took me nearly 20 minutes to get the words out after I told my mom that I needed to talk to her. Even though I knew she would be accepting, the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth and I turned bright red. I finally said, “I’m gay,” and she hugged me and said she loved me. She told my dad, who brought it up in the car one day and just said that he accepts me. I’m planning to tell my friends but I’m scared they’ll treat me differently and be weirded out if they know that I’m a lesbian. (F/15/Lesbian)
Story #1823
When I came out, I was 13 years old (yeah, pretty young, I know). It started with me buying little heart stickers with the Pansexual flag on them. I started hiding them all over my house for about a year and a half, until my parents finally asked about them. I told them that I’m Pansexual, and they couldn’t be more supportive! Now every year on May 20, my parents send me little heart-shaped cookies with the Pansexual flag on them!! (F/22/Pansexual)