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 #1820
When I came out, my family was generally accepting at first, until I started telling my mom about a girl I was talking to at the time. After this, she started making fun of me and telling me that I was a “waste of a girl” and immediately sent me to a therapist. She also continued to tell me she’d “turn me straight” and that I need to give guys a chance. It’s been difficult but I’m proud to be who I am, no matter what she says or thinks. (F/17/Lesbian)
Story #1819
When I came out, it didn’t go as well as I thought it would. I was in 8th grade and told my best friend that I had feelings for another girl. She called me disgusting and said that to her being gay was severely wrong. I apologized to her and asked if we could forget about it, but she never spoke to me ever again. Today, 3 years later, I haven’t come out to anyone else because I fear they will take it the same way. (F/Lesbian)
Story #1814
When I came out to my very conservative gran (I was already out to everyone else) I told her I was a lesbian and my girlfriend was going to be at an event we were going to the next day. She isn’t homophobic but has this idea of me marrying a rich man and having children, so boy was she shocked. She then proceeded to tell me I would grow out of it, blah blah blah. I don’t really care about her reaction; she wants me to be happy and I am. She will adapt. (F/16/Lesbian)
Story #1811
When I came out to my friends, they were really supportive, for the most part. (One of them even ultimately became my girlfriend! :)) But one friend said that homosexuality was against her religion, and she didn’t want to associate with me anymore. I didn’t care, but then she threatened to tell my parents. I had already told my dad, who was supportive, but my mom is extremely homophobic; so I still have to come out to my mom… (F/13/Lesbian)
Story #1807
When I came out, it was unplanned. I started by telling a couple of my friends, then I just started randomly bringing it up in conversation with my less close friends. Then one night, my parents were pestering me about having so many male friends, and I was tired of it, so I just said I was gay. After that, I just started being totally open about it, even though I hadn’t told everyone. Whatever, if they know, they know, right? (F/16/Lesbian)
Story #1806
When I came out to my closet friends and eventually my parents, I could literally feel the earth beneath me shaking. I am from India, a modern yet conservative and traditional society with lots of religious skepticism of burning in hell, societies eyeball rolling, and parents’ fear of my choices bringing shame to the family no matter how educated and knowledgable they are. So it has been half a decade now of me going through this phase of doubts, shame, fear, non-acceptance, anxiety, and then finally courage, grit, and love. Long story short, with amazing friends who were as ignorant as me when we started this journey, but nevertheless loved me and accepted me for who I am, parents who had it very hard initially but later chose to love their daughter beyond fear, and the love of my life who is the pillar and support day in-day out, here I am. After a tough yet educational journey for me and other people in my life, love won and I proudly love myself for who I am and am grateful for the beautiful and blessed partner in this lifetime. Life is a journey of discovering our own truths and no matter how scared we are to confront the truth, as it is very hard in the beginning, we are all God’s children and it is a true homage to the Creator to live by it. (F/28/Lesbian)
Story #1802
When I came out, I told a friend that I’m lesbian and I have a crush on her. She was supportive, but also replied with “sorry but I’m not lesbian” and she hasn’t answered my texts since. I’m kind of afraid to come out to other people, though I think I’ve already made the biggest step in telling my crush. (F/17/Lesbian)
Story #1800
When I came out it ruined so much of my life. My parents don’t accept it, and honestly they’ve ruined my mental health. It hurts me everyday to know that they will never love me for who I am. Thank god for the supportive people in my life that helped me get through it… (F/14/Lesbian)
Story #1793
When I came out, I was walking my friend back to her house after we had hung out. My sister had just had her birthday party, and I had been allowed to invite one friend. At one point in the sleepover, we had been sitting in my sister’s closet playing some random games on her phone, and I’m pretty sure she and her friends had forgotten we were in there, so we got all the tea on all their crushes. So, as we were walking back, we were laughing about how boring they were because they were all straight. I said, “Unlike me.” She laughed and replied with (jokingly), “I feel like you kinda just date everything. The tree, the grass, whatever.” And I just said, “Well, I am gay.” She just looked at me and said, “Ok, cool.” Honestly, I kinda expected that to be her reaction. (F/16/Lesbian)