How do I come out to my parents?

I know someone who sent a long email/text to their parents, I did after getting a new haircut (it gave me confidence and someone else made a cookie, wrote "Gay" on it and said "well, you are what you eat." in front of their parents and ate it

There is no single, sure-fire way of telling your parents that you are lesbian or gay. Just as no two families are exactly the same so the method, even the words, will vary from one family to the next. But many reactions are common to all families, and knowing this, it is often possible to work out the best method for your family. Very few parents imagine that their children could possibly be lesbian or gay. Even those who may have had suspicions still feel shocked, sad or angry when confronted with the fact. Try to understand this. You have had, perhaps, several years to gradually come to terms with the fact that you are lesbian or gay. Your parents, when you tell them will have had no time at all. Although teenagers sometimes find it difficult to accept that no one knows them as well as their parents there is no denying that they have watched you develop from birth to the present moment. So they will find it hard to accept that there is a side to you they never knew about. In the immediate reaction there are certain things that nearly all parents say. These include "How can you be sure at your age?" "I went through a phase like this, you'll grow out of it". "You haven't tried hard enough with the opposite sex", and, ominously, "What about this terrible AIDS?" These are difficult things to answer if you feel at all unsure of yourself. If you are young and under the age of consent legally, after a recent equalisation of the law in the United Kingdom, 16 for both homosexuals and heterosexuals (Age of consent in other countries) remember there are two aspects to your situation. The first one is your homosexual feelings, and the second one is your sexual experience, if any. You should therefore carefully consider to what extent you are going to reveal yourself to your parents. Be very careful in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Homophobia (hatred or prejudice against homosexuals) has many forms but it is based upon ignorance and can be dispelled by knowledge. Remember your parents will have to consider how they will deal with relatives, neighbours, friends, and perhaps their employers or the local church who may become aware that you are lesbian or gay. Try to understand this concern, perhaps point out that you too have to deal in greater measure with the hatred of others. Your parents' reaction may be to become overprotective. Remember that to balance all the homophobia, there exists a lot of positive and enlightened thought and attitudes.

How to come out to your parents depends on every persons situation. There are some who would just say it upfront because they know that their parents are very accepting. There are people who waits to be successful so they can prove themselves first. But at the end, its just up to you on how you will do it.

First you need to accept yourself. It's all about when you are ready. Once you accept who you are and are confident you can pretty much take it from there. Confidence is key in coming out.

Just be honest with what you feel, parents notice a lot more than you think. Its no doubt that it is very scary.

Ooh that's a tough one. First you've got to to make sure that it's the right time. Make sure that your parents aren't going through any stressful situations. Then make sure you know what to say. Make sure you can approach them in a calm manner and explain it to them in the simplest terms so that they don't make any assumptions. Make sure you're serious so they know you aren't joking. Good luck! :) :)

Everyone's story is different, especially when it comes to how we are dealing with our own sexuality. My own personal experience was a positive one- almost insignificant to any other life events that were going on- I had been hanging around a girl who became my girlfriend slowly, and my mom just noticed how close we were. She one day just asked me if we were dating- and I said yes. That's all there was to it. Not everyone is so lucky, some people may have difficult situations/non-understanding parents. And for those of you suffering with this, I am truly sorry, but it gets better. #positivefocus

Just tell them whenever you feel is right. Remember you can't be closeted for the rest of your life.

Everybody has different ideas of how to do it. For example, if you know your parents will accept you then maybe bake a rainbow cake or pancakes. I came out through a simple conversation. I also used the coming out song by Ally Hills, which is kind of goofy but I love it. The most important thing is to do it in a way that makes you feel comfortable, and to make sure it's safe to come out (eg if you think your parents may kick you out, then it may not be the right time to come out). Good luck!

Well, there's no easy way to do this. However, this is a safe way. First off, please be sure about what you're going to say. Being direct is a good way to go, though make sure there's no malice or uncertainty in your speech. Buttering them up before you confess is a good tactic, too. Please be careful about the environment(how will the people around you effect your parents temperament), time(when they're relaxed/the day was not hard on them) and your parents prior mood. You can also ask their opinions about a hypothetical situation where you're a part of the LGBTQA+ spectrum before asking them to sit down and listen. Thank them if you do come out. These things are something not many people are accepting of, and if they react positively, or not negatively, be sure to show gratitude, that this meant a lot to you. Lastly, be absolutely sure you want to go down this road. There's no pressure to say something you're not ready for, or something you're guaranteed to receive bad results from. It's going to be okay,you can do this!