🌈 Share Your Coming Out Story & Offer Support! 🌈

Just keep going.

I just want to say the struggle/suffering is real and "coming out" isn't a requirement.

Also when it comes to life and how one lives it, one's identity is ultimately no one else's business.

Furthermore, there's more to your identity then pride...there's also love, respect, understanding, boundaries, self care, balance, etc.. This can be forgotten and buried under marketing/media.

In conclusion, who you are is so much more than your gender identity. You're a living breathing sacred being of limitless possibility. This is scary. But bravery, evolution and ingenuity is woven through blood and bone.

@CheeryMango I just was watching a movie that had Zendaya in it (I forgot what movie) and I said she was hot and my mom said “Your gay?” And I said I was bi actually and that was the whole conversation. Everyone else just assumed until I said I had a crush on a girl in my class.

Hello! My name is Camila and my coming out story is not very typical. I say this because of the way I realized I was lesbian.

At early high school, my friends and I enjoyed watching anime. They recommended me to watch yaoi anime (Japanese animated romantic series in which the characters are gay man). When I tried it, I didn't like it at all. Nevertheless, some unknown thing inside me said, "there should be the same thing but with gay women". Indeed, I began watching yuri (lesbian) anime and only then I realized that I was gay. But so, so gay. That suddenly explained why every classmate around me was talking about their crush and I wasn't, then I realized I liked my best friend (which is actually quite typical).

Anyways, fast forward some months and I told my mom. At first, she didn't like it at all, but later on she became more accepting. Fast forward some years and I changed school, where I finally met some lgbtq friends, who are still my best friends (I am 21 right now). As someone who "looks heterosexual" (whatever that even means), I have had to come out so many times, but I can promise you it gets easier and easier. The only person I struggled with greatly was with my mother, but now I feel much freer.

In fact, even if I have to keep reminding myself not to be ashamed once in a while, this coming out thing has become normalized in my life. It was a big step for me to start wearing a rainbow brazalete, for example, but now I barely think about it. Small things like that helped me affirm my sexuality first to myself, then to others. Now coming out to new people doesn't really feel like coming out, it feels like I am just stating another fact about me, just like saying what my nationality is, or how old I am. It feels less and less important, but I mean it in a good way. I like to think that those that love me will do it anyways, and those that don't will not do it anyways. If someone changes their mind about me because of my sexuality, that says more about them than about me.

I wish you a loving and accepting coming out story, but even if that doesn't happen, know that the most important thing is to give to yourself that love and acceptance.

@CheeryMango I’m adding another story because I just came out as trans to 4 more of my friends!!!! I’m so scared and it just happened randomly at lunch when they asked me my pronouns and my other friend who knew told me to tell them and after she convinced me I fully came out as a trans man. I kinda regretted it at first because me being openly gay is not fun but I felt happier and like a weight came off of my chest and everything seemed a slightly bit better. I’m so happy! HAPPY PRIDE YALL🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️!!!!

I came out after watching  movie and with my mom and being asked i cried told her 

I am in the process of trying to win my partners heart back one of the deal breakers was coming out to my family so it doesn’t feel like we’re living a lie etc I was at work (a hospital) already stressed bc of Yk people being extremely unwell and the angry family members I’m on my break we’ve had this thing since I moved out where I call my mom every day usually on my break at work or before bed and I came out to her on my break admitted I was in a queer relationship and still kind of am and I was unfaithful but have changed and will continue until I’m myself (which is the best version of myself) and she told me three days ago “Ty for trusting me but I need to process I won’t be able to speak to you for a few days” after work I mentally and emotionally physically supported my partner who’s dealing with a self harm inflicting type of friend so ofc I’ll offer support and feel sorry that’s going on but idk it’s all a lot it’s draining tbh I kinda feel the small relief people talk about when they come out but telling her that and that I’m pan was… a lot at the time but I am slowly being able to objectively view and therefore rid myself of the anxiety. I want my roommate my ex my lover to have this second chance with me and make the best out of it with me and go places do and see things in life reach and strive for greatness with pure hearts and pure intentions.