When I came out to my aunt, I was terrified. Me, my younger brother, my parents, and my aunt were on a road trip to Miami for my cousin’s wedding. I had my Kindle Fire that my parents let me use for long trips, and I had this little drawing app made for little kids, one of those where the only option for pen color was rainbow. I thought about it for about half an hour, silently weighing my options. Finally, I wrote it out, and tapped her leg. “I need to tell you something,” I wrote. “Don’t react out loud, my parents don’t know. I’m Trans. I just wanted to tell you.” She paused the show she was watching to read. She grabbed her phone, and hopped onto a spam text she got. “That’s nice,” she said. “I support you. Be yourself.” Moral of the story: Be yourself. It can be scary, but it’s worth it. Take small steps, and you don’t have to come out to everyone at the same time. Be you! (Trans Male)
Story #2512
When I came out, it was to my parents. They had known I was questioning my sexuality, but they didn’t exactly like it. I had made comments about me being aroace, but every time had felt like I was being judged for bringing it up so often (actually about once a month — and I’m aroace year round lol), and that my parents didn’t approve. I finally had another comment, and afterward I told my mom that I felt like I was not allowed to talk about my sexuality. They had made it clear that aroace was approvable because I’m not attracted to girls, but still not as good as straight (little do they know I’m pan oriented). (Non-binary trans masc/15/Trans non-binary gender-fluid pan-oriented aroace)
Story #2498
When I came out as trans at 10 years old, my mom told me that I was just depressed. I had recently had an early start to puberty, and my developing chest had inspired a new and profoundly dysphoric discomfort with my body. Because I had never met another trans person, never heard of it being a possibility, I didn’t have the words to fully describe what I was feeling, and as a result I wasn’t able to properly express what I was experiencing. She told me that everyone hates themselves during puberty and it was just a combination of my hormones and my genetic predisposition to mental illness. It would pass, she said. I was wrong, she said. I went back into the closet for another two years, and when I tried to refind my identity I remembered what she said and for a long, long time I was so afraid of being wrong that I refused to admit I was a man. I cycled through a million identities, sets of pronouns, before I finally decided that no one knew me better than me and announced to the world at 16 that I was a man and nothing was going to change that. My mom came around eventually and now I’m 18 and 5 months on hormones. Things got better, but it was hard. (FtM/18)
Story #2494
When my parents found out I was lesbian they freaked out and said they would no longer love me and God would never ever love me again and I was heartbroken. That was last year when I was 12. I’m 13 now and I still think about that, and to this day I still try to end it all but something stops me. I can’t imagine what they would say if I told them I wanted and felt that I’m a boy not a girl, but I can’t bring myself to it. So for now I’m just a disappointment to the family, but if they ever found out I was trans I would be the laughingstock of the family.
Story #2488
When I came out I was 16. My family looked like their whole life died in one single moment. I was kicked out of my home and every time I tried to go back my dad will try to shoot me with his gun, which he shoot a bullet through my leg once. But now I’m doing better. I have a lover who is trans male like me and we adopted two lovely kids. (M/22/Trans/pansexual)
Story #2485
When I came out to my best friend, we were walking home together. I got really quiet, and she asked me what was wrong. I took a deep breath, and then I said it: I am a boy. She didn’t say anything at first. Then she smiled, and asked what my name was. When I told her, she said it was beautiful, and that I was beautiful and so brave. I started crying, and she hugged me until I calmed down. She held my hand all the way home, and I remember feeling so loved. She moved away a couple months after that, but she is still one of the best friends I’ve ever had. (M/14/Transgender+Gay)
Story #2480
When I came out to my friend group, it was kinda weird. They all supported me except for two people (There are 6 people in the friend group not including me). They all said they supported me but no one actually uses my preferred name or pronouns. I’m not sure if this even counts as being out, but I guess I tried. (M/12/Transgender/gay man)
Story #2479
When first I came out, it was on accident. I was around 10-11, arguing with my mom about bisexuals/gays, and accidentally said “We’re” instead of “They’re” lol (I don’t identify as a bisexual anymore). But recently, I came out as a transguy to my close family (this is because I told the counselor I wanted to hurt myself, partly because of how I felt about my identity). I’ve been in the closet as a transguy for around two to three years now (used to identify as lesbian, then bisexual, then nonbinary, then finally transmale). But by the time I’d told my mom, I was out to my whole school, my close cousins, and even people online. She’s still having a hard time accepting now, but I’ve got it better than others. I’ve got a great support system at school (not minding the bullies) and in my close family, so I’m not as suicidal as before. (Transmale/13/Omnisexual)
Story #2478
When I came out, it was to my friend who had previously come out to me as bi, and who knew I was aroace. I casually asked her if she used trans people’s real pronouns or not, which she did. I then added on that I use my name instead of pronouns. She accepted me for who I am, which I really appreciated. I also later joined a pride group chat, and might invite my friend as well. (Trans Nonbinary Bigender [Agender and Genderfluid]/15/ Aromantic Asexual Trans Nonbinary Pangender Genderfluid Agender Bigender)
Story #2476
When I came out, it was to some friends at first. My best story is recent, and it was to a guy in my school, during our school’s camp. You see, I’m a fantasy lover, so I decided to write on a piece of paper and make it into a small scroll. I wrote down that I was trans, and explained what it meant. During snack time, I was talking to my friend, and with encouragement, I dropped it next to his water bottle when he wasn’t looking. I watched him read it, look around, and then his friend read it. Yeah, his friend read it. During a bus ride the next day, I asked them if they approved of it. His answer: “Of course! It doesn’t affect your personality and anyone who thinks it does is probably stupid.” I did come out to my parents before the school year, but they were VERY unsupportive. (Transgender Boy/12/Pansexual)