When I came out I did it at the beginning of school. I had been thinking about it for a long time, and I had been planning on doing it over the summer, but had never gotten around to it. I wrote a note basically saying that I went by a different name at school, and that at school I used All pronouns. That afternoon when I got home from school, she was really chill. She just said, “Hey, do you want to go by that name at home too?” and I said yes and then she just started using it at home and pretty soon the rest of my family caught on. They still only use she/her pronouns though. 🙁 (Non-binary/gender queer/gender fluid/13/Questioning)
Story #2748
When I first came out to my parents, they were very chill about it, seeing how they have always been open-minded and openly supportive of the lgbtq+ community, and it was easy for them to understand me being pan and ace. It was trickier for them when, a year of questioning and researching later, I came out again as trans. Of my immediate family, my mom was the most… resistant. I know now that it came from a place of distrust in men and the patriarchy, and personal negative experiences, that she didn’t understand why the heck I wanted to be a man (or more accurately, masc). After several more years, and many more conversations, we’ve come to a better understanding of each other, and my family now uses my preferred pronouns and refers to me as a child/sibling/etc. On a sour note however, my extended family is far more “opinionated” about these things (they’re hyper-religious and conservative) so the only “decent” reactions I got from them was from my grandma, who refuses to talk about it, and one of my cousins, who still talks to me but doesn’t respect me at all :/ (Trans masculine/genderfluid/Asexual/panromantic)
Story #2735
When I came out, I was 15. It was my freshman year of high school and I was at a new school. I had come to realize over the summer that I am a trans male. I came out to my friends and told them my new name and they accepted me. When I started school I introduced myself to teachers, friends, peers, as ethan. It felt amazing to finally feel like myself. However, my parents still didn’t know. One day, one of my favourite teachers wrote a really sweet and kind note about me using my name, ethan. It was sent in an email to my parents. I ended up getting student of the month and on the certificate it had my name on it. So, I decided to tell my parents that day. Hoping that I’d be able to tell them before the email did. I told them. They were supportive and accepting, I couldn’t have asked for more. It was amazing. I finally feel like me. (Transmasc genderfluid/Trans male/15/ Pansexual/demisexual/demiromantic)
Story #2721
When I came out, I was around 13 and my sister was 10 or 11, and I was sitting on my bed and talking to my sister, and I told her I liked a girl in my class. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, but she told me, “Either you tell our mom or I will.” Then she called my mom into the room, and that’s how I told my mom I liked girls. Her response was “Are you sure you don’t just want to be her friend?” She accepts me now, but it took a while to get there. (Genderfluid/18/Pan)
Story #2720
When I came out to my best friend, it was 9:30pm. I was writing a text message about how I am gender fluid and Omniromantic, and it went well. I told her that I liked a boy and she was very happy for me and started calling me by my preferred name. 🙂 (Genderfluid/13/Omniromantic)
Story #2705
When I came out to my school it was in 4th grade. I got bullied through 5th grade, but finally when I reached 6th grade the bullying stopped. I just recently came out to my mom and she said, “That’s good to know when you’re young” 😳 (Genderfluid/12/Pansexual)
Story #2691
When I came out as a lesbian I was 11. My family kinda thought it was a phase. My friends were super supportive, but then I ended up moving. Right now I live in a super homophobic state, but I didn’t know that when I moved here. I get remarks weekly about how being lesbian is sinful and unnatural. I have a couple friends who I’m out as genderfluid to, and they’re pretty supportive, but I’m scared to come out publicly. To everyone who is thinking of coming out, I send you love ❤️ (Genderfluid/13/Lesbian)
Story #2677
When I came out, I did it in a letter, writing it online and then showing it to my parents from my computer. The first thing they both said was that they knew, and they had read my messages to my friends — I had come out to my friends gradually and explained it fully to them that day. It was a bit of a stressful process because my parents sat me down and asked me every question they could (my anxiety made me really stressed out so I was crying), and it took a while for them to adjust. My parents say they try with pronouns, but they also say that “my generation labels ourselves too much and they don’t have to use my preferred pronouns because of that”. They’re super supportive of other people but have a hard time adjusting to me (even three years later). However, my friends are amazingly supportive and ask me my pronouns each day – for other genderfluid kids: you are loved and valid and supported and should find your people who love you. (Genderfluid/15/Panromantic/asexual)
Story #2644
When I came out, my mum brushed past it and ended up outing me to a close friend of hers. My mum told me that it was just a phase and I’d get past it. This was years ago, and I am still so full of hurt and dysphoria but I’m coping. I still haven’t really told any of my friends yet because I’m scared I’ll get hurt too. (Genderfluid/15/Asexual)
Story #2627
When I first came out I had already created many scenarios of how I could do it. But my mother and father noticed that I had been overwhelmed for some months (I was a sixth grader). I told them I didn’t really understand if I could really label my gender identity because it kept unstable. But they were quite accepting. As for sexuality I only came out at 17. I had hinted to them many times before through jokes and would make it quite obvious for my sister so she could also help me. The Aroace part wasn’t as good as I would like to be but with time they stopped. I had told to my closest friends as they were some type of gay magnet; as a result my friends were usually queer weirdos so it turned out better. (Genderfluid/23/Aroace)