When I came out it felt so freeing. It’s only been 2 months since I first came out to my best friends, but the more people I’ve come out to (8 friends currently) the more I find myself to just not care as much anymore and come out a lot more easily. And I’ve finally mostly accepted myself for the first time and my advice is if you have close friends that you love, and they love you, it gets better when you come out to them. I know it’s scary, but it gets easier every time and if you have friends that accept you your life gets easier. Haven’t come out to my mom yet and probably never will come out to my dad 🙁 (M/16/Gay)
Story #2739
When I came out as bi (to son and bi daughter), it was a couple months after my wife/their mom passed. Wife knew I was bi. Both kids very accepting/supportive. (M/65/Queer)
Story #2738
When I came out to my best friend about a year ago, he was a little confused, but supportive, and now I talk to him about all the guys I have crushes on and we joke and laugh about it. More recently I came out to my school counselors, and honestly I had figured they already knew, but they didn’t. They knew I had something I wasn’t comfortable telling them, and that it was the source of my high levels of anxiety and depression, but after telling them I saw everything just click into place and it was really validating and satisfying to find out how supportive they are. And now they want updates on if I start talking to someone lol. It is nice to know that there are people in my hometown of less than a thousand mostly Christian people that accept me for me. (M/16/Homosexual)
Story #2736
When I came out I was just casually gaming with my best friend, when he suddenly out of nowhere asked, “Are you gay?” I had an internal oh shit moment and then decided to answer truthfully, because I’m a bad liar. We rarely-never spoke about it and that was all. But the emotional stress in that situation was unbelievable. (M/Gay)
Story #2732
When I came out, I was at Glastonbury festival watching a band. This bloke started making lude comments to the artist. I said between songs that you are not her type. He replied, drunk, so are you. I said no. A woman said that she was gay. When this man started saying that all gay people shouldn’t be able to attend Glastonbury, they should be forced to leave, I said are you going to make me leave then for being gay. People around were saying good for you in standing up for yourself and others. One of my friends just said I don’t suppose you wanted to come out like that. Nothing else was said. We still have a good friendship and go to gigs. (M/52/Gay)
Story #2725
When I came out as bisexual, I was 15 and me and this guy came back to my house to “study” and we ended up making out. My mom came up and opened the door to ask if we wanted some snacks and she caught us really going at it. She was sort of understanding but not really and it was honestly a tough time. I’m older now and thankfully we made peace with each other before she passed away, so I feel thankful for that. (M/36/Bisexual mostly gay)
Story #2719
When I was about 15 I started thinking about guys. When I was about 21 I had my first experience when a friend seduced me. I liked it and at time was still interested in girls but thought this is nice and I don’t need to worry about getting a girl pregnant! I started going to gay bars and started dating men and while not all worked out I dated a couple of girls again but met my first real boyfriend at 24 at a LGBT Social Meeting. From that point on I have only been in relationships with men and while I understand women can be attractive I can’t actually imagine having sex with a female. I know I love men and may have been born gay but did not realize my feelings until 15 and by 24 I completely accepted and embraced being gay. I am a hairy happy gay versatile bear (preferably a bottom though). Currently single again but hoping to find my true top bear future husband. (M/62)
Story #2718
When I came out originally I was nine. I told my mom I didn’t feel like a girl most days, but she just told me to focus on being a ten year old girl, as my birthday was the next day. I came out again around eleven. Again, I was just told to be a girl. I officially came out and said I was trans when I was thirteen… I got hit with the “I support you, but…” and she went on a tangent about how God made me a girl, not a boy. When I got into an argument about something else, my dad started yelling about how if I want to be a boy, I should go out and do “boy sh**”. Overall it went terrible, and for them “loving me unconditionally”, it surely doesn’t feel like it. I told them I did not like my body and essentially was told to get over it. (M/14/FTM)
Story #2716
When I came out I promised myself that I would not deny it if people asked if I were gay, and I even brought up the topic around my classmates indirectly. For a whole year, nobody asked me, but finally, in the beginning of grade 9, I was talking with some friends at school and one of them asked me if I were gay. I didn’t deny or confirm it, but I was being quite obvious. I later confirmed that I was gay to them on text. In June, I came out to my older brother at a pride parade (he wanted to go, I went with him). Still not out to my parents. I know they are transphobic but not sure if they are homophobic as well. (M/15/Gay)
Story #2706
When I came out I was fifteen, despite knowing I was queer for a very long time. I had only identified as transmasc for a year though, and the attraction I suddenly felt for boys was new as well. So it was nerve-wracking, but I had realized I couldn’t live with the dysphoria and pain I felt daily. I wanted literally nothing more than to be seen as a boy, to have a boyfriend, to be finally happy and comfortable. I told two friends first, and it didn’t go over so well, which was discouraging. But I pushed on and I’m glad I did. It was awkward and really weird at first honestly, but over time it got better. It’s been a while, and I don’t have a boyfriend just yet, but in the words of Ethel Cain, if it’s meant to be then it will be. If you’re reading these for motivation to come out, as I did for years before I actually did, this is your sign to go for it! If you know you’re in a safe situation at least, I promise you, it’s worth it. It may be weird, it may be awkward, it may even hurt for a little. But nothing can beat the happiness of living as your true self, I promise. (Male [FtM]/16/Achillean)