When I came out as gay, my mom gasped (it was over the phone) and dismissed it. When I halfway came out as trans, my mom and grandma degraded queer people in an attempt to change my mind. I have been told that my brother and sister (among other people) are not allowed to know. My mother told me today that my brother and sister are not allowed to listen to Lil Nas X or Jojo Siwa because he (Lil Nas X) is gay and she (Jojo Siwa) is pansexual, and my poor sister loved Jojo Siwa. My friends are super supportive, and save me every day from a world of sadness, but it hurts that my friends accept me more than my own mother, and I’m sorry for anyone who is in this situation or worse. (F/15/Gay/trans)
Story #2265
When I came out to my mom as transgender ftm she said she accepted me, but she then had a breakdown and told me it’s for attention and that she and my dad won’t let me start hormones or blockers and that they won’t use my preferred name or pronoun. The rest of my family still calls me by my deadname and she/her. It’s hard and I struggle with it every day and am currently looking for a way to leave. I promise you’ll get through everything. Just stay strong; you’re loved and special and deserve the world. (FTM/15/Gay)
Story #2258
When I came out was actually just 30 minutes ago to my grandma. She texted me an artist whose name was Angelina Jordan and said it was her favorite artist. Then she proceeded to say, “I love listening to her when I feel a little extra bi.” She also said that many in our family were bi and that she loved me. So basically my grandma came out to me and I was like f it and I told her I was demi and trans. We then texted a little more and she said she knew since I was 3. I’ve always been scared to tell my grandparents but I now know they’ll always love me. (M/13/Demisexual/transgender)
Story #2257
When I came out at age 12 to my mom and siblings it wasn’t direct, but later my mom got me an apointment to talk to a specialist about how I felt. Even though it’s been almost over two years now and I’m waiting for my next appointment with someone who might be able to get me started on T and get top surgery, my mom still misgenders me and deadnames me, which has taken a toll on my mental health. But I’ve finally found a friend who doesn’t misgender me and tries his best at not deadnaming me. (M/13/Demisexual/transgender)
Story #2246
When I came out, I was seriously considering my gender identity for the first time, and decided I’d ask a cousin for advice. She said to “Go for it!” and then I went and wrote an entire page about my experiences questioning my gender and sent it to my discord (ThatOneAwkwardSnake#1093) and was met with tons of support from all my best friends, irl and out. Still haven’t come out to anyone else and the cousin I came out to first still thinks of me as “lesbian” which makes me uncomfy as it has a feminine connotation, and even though I’ve told her I prefer gay, she still uses lesbian. I don’t know if she understands non-binary. (Non-binary/11/Gay/trans FtNB)
Story #2241
When I came out to my older brother, he thought I was joking at first: he said I was too picky when it came to guys, and asked me what my type was, and I said, “Women.” He hugged me after and told me he accepted me and would keep my secret… and then started joking about it in front of my mom and making references to lesbian sex whenever he talked about me. I told him that I’d just been confused a couple months later. Sometimes, it’s just not the right time, and that’s ok. (Nonbinary/21/Gay/genderqueer/transgender)
Story #2237
When I came out, it was to my friends. My girlfriend at the time came out as trans, and I had known that I’d been trans for a pretty long time. I told my friend group. Mostly everyone accepted me, which made me so happy. I go by Matt now, instead of my deadname. But one of my nonsupportive friends keep asking me why I keep trying to be a dude. They shall never know UvU (Male [FtM]/16/Bisexual)
Story #2231
When I came out as bisexual (biromantic asexual, to be specific) to my best friend in middle school, she immediately grimaced and then later left my house crying; she proceeded to block me on all social media and avoided me entirely. It hurt and made it hard for me to continue to explore my identity, but I have tried out and landed on other labels since then (trans, gray-asexual, and panromantic), and, fortunately, coming out to loved ones in the future has (mostly) gone far, far better. I now have a close group of friends that are all queer, a nonbinary partner that I love deeply and that deeply loves me, and a family that supports me completely even if they don’t always understand. It can get better; there are people out there that will love you for your whole self, so find them, or let them find you. Love and acceptance is possible, finding those like you is inevitable, and feeling truly cherished is beautiful. (M/21/Transgender/queer)
Story #2228
When I came out it was a few months ago now and I left home due to it and got hated on and misgendered, but now a few months later I got my first binder and I’m doing better. I just had to give everyone a bit of time to adjust. In a week I should be getting my name and pronouns changed at school, yay! 🙂 (He/they/14/FtM)
Story #2227
When I came out to my parents they accepted me, but it’s hard to tell now because they won’t use my correct pronouns. My mom even told me that it will take her time because she always knew me as her daughter. I told her I understood. That was at Thanksgiving of last year, but now both of my parents still misgender me. It hurts like hell. I don’t know how to tell them that whenever they use she/her I die a little inside each day, my depression and dysphoria gets worse and worse, and I think my parents don’t understand I am trying to be strong but it just hurts so much. (FtM/36/Trans man/gay)