When I came out I was scared. I’ve struggled with my identity since I was 8 years old. Thankfully earlier that year my cousin came to visit and told my mother that they now use they/them and identify as nonbinary. Though my mom didn’t really understand she tried her best to be supportive and use the correct pronouns. They gave me courage to finally come out after all these years to tell her I’m a boy. She was pretty taken back and disappointed I didn’t tell her sooner but she’s trying her hardest to understand and is really supportive. I do feel guilty though as she adopted a daughter and not a son but I hope she still sees me as her child no matter what. She doesn’t use my correct name and pronouns yet but she says she wants to try and wants me to be comfortable. (TransMale/18)
Story #2462
When I came out I was 16. Been many years in the making and eventually only said something because I was afraid to start college with the dead weight of my old name with me. Things aren’t perfect yet but I’m finally getting somewhere 🙂 hoping to start T in a couple months 😉 (M/18/Transgender/straight)
Story #2455
When I came out I was 29 (it was 1985). My father had just died in an accident and that forced me to confront being gay and moving forward to live my true life. I knew I was gay when I was 13, but repressed it through HS, college, and my 20’s. I didn’t date women. I was just a solo person, with many friends, who stayed busy with other activities. I’m 66 now, married to a long-time partner. I envy the youth of today. I still sometimes struggle when I recall the pain of hiding from everyone including myself for so many years. (M/66/Gay)
Story #2452
When I came out I was 15 and at school. It was obvious that I was gay and I never really tried to hide it but would always deny it when asked. My best friend kept asking me who I liked and I kept deflecting the question. One day, after weeks of planning how I would say it, I said that I would tell her who I liked. She figured out that I was trying to come out but was scared to say the words. She asked me, “You’re gay? I’ve known since 3rd grade” and then we hugged and talked about it for a while. (M/15/Gay)
Story #2450
When I came out, I was 15 years old and on a pit stop at Starbucks during a high school field trip. While we waited for our drinks, my friend asked me outright if I was gay. And through tears, I said yes, and that I had never told anyone before—she hadn’t known it would be my first time coming out. Thank you to everyone who posted their stories on here; they gave so much strength to a closeted gay teen. (M/24/Gay)
Story #2445
When I came out it was to my mom. I told her that I wish I was born as a boy and how I hated myself for being and seen as a girl. My mom was very disappointed at me and told me I will never be one and always be a girl and how I have to wear dresses and skirts in school. She told me that she doesn’t support and included God, that God won’t support people like these and how they will get blind, get cancer, and also deaf. COVID-19 too. (Male FtM/13/Gay)
Story #2442
When I came out the first time, I was convinced I was bi. Later, after a LOT of soul-searching, I realized that my definition of “sexual attraction” was completely different from the standard. Apparently, people don’t just find others aesthetically appealing, they also feel an urge to have sex with them? My world was turned upside-down, but I started feeling like the word “asexual” really resonated with my experiences. Coming out for the second time has been great, and to my surprise, everyone was extremely supportive. A lot of questions typically follow when aces come out, but it’s also kinda fun to explain it to people 🙂 (M/23/Asexual Gray-Biromantic)
Story #2437
When I came out it was online. My online friend asked me if we can voice rev and I said sure. I didn’t know what to do because I am FTM trans and my voice sounds like a girl (I haven’t started T yet) and I was struggling on what to do. I tried to deepen my voice but I was afraid it wouldn’t work out and I accidentally blurted out, “Ah sh*t” because I thought I was on mute but sadly I wasn’t. I immediately left the call. I was panicking out, then a minute later he said, “Your voice sounds like a girl. Are you secretly a girl or nah?” and I went like, “Oh f*ck I went way way wrong,” so I just told him that I was trans. This is possibility the dumbest way I came out by accident. (Male FtM/13)
Story #2436
When I came out, I was scared and excited. I felt as if I had found my true self, and realized how the world would react. I buried my sorrows in fake crushes on girls, and ate a lot. I was self conscious because this was after the pandemic (come on, we all gained at least 10 pounds). I found that a mask helped me hide myself, so I wore one everywhere, even after Omicron. Finally, I lost all the weight, got fit, actually too thin, I’m underweight now, and gained strength. I met my boyfriend at a comic shop. He asked for my number, but my parents were restrictive of me, so I only had a computer, so I got his e-mail. He eventually asked me out, and still loves me deeply, and I him. I slowly came out to many close friends and they all support me and frequently ask about my guy. (M/13/Gay and beautiful)
Story #2429
When I came out I was 20/21 and my parents were very accepting of me. But I have friends who are very supportive of me and call me by my gender correct name, which is cool. I am now known as Jay. (M/42/FtM)