If you don't want to read through all of this, just comment some tips for coming out and how to prepare yourself for doing it, etc. Thanks! This is for a bisexual guy who is 14 btw. The longer version of my story: So I'm gay. And yesterday, I came out to my entire grade, and actually the entire middle school and all of my teachers. It was at a middle school assembly. I'm not going to go into detail except to say that I feel amazing. And proud. And happy. And more free than ever. So far, I'm the only person in the middle school to come out. And I only know of one person in my grade who is bi. However, yesterday, a friend of mine came up to me and told me that he wishes he had the kind of courage that I had, etc. This morning, I walked into school, and my entire grade was getting together for a meeting to discuss some events. Before the meeting, another guy came up to me and asked if we could talk. He congratulated me, and then he started to tell me that he's bi and he wanted to know if I could give him any advice on coming out. So, I have some things in mind, but I wanted to see what you guys thought. I really want to help him out. Thanks!
For starters, I'd say get comfortable with who you are. It's hard to do. Incredibly hard. I used to stand in front of a mirror and say "I'm gay" over and over until it no longer sounded alien and profane. Once you feel comfortable, then consider coming out. Shoot for someone who you are 100% positive is supportive (like he already did) and you'll surely get a good reaction. Come out to one person who is close to you, and have that person present when you tell the second person. It'll be back up to help you feel supported and not alone being interrogated. Once you get all the surely supportive people taken care of, you can use your group of friends to back you up and protect you as you tackle the group of people who you aren't too sure about. If it goes sour, your possee will swarm the person before they can say anything hurtful. Once you're out, live life normally. You aren't gay John, you're just John. The friends who you told are lucky that you trust them enough to let them this deeply into your inner realm of person. You trusted them with the biggest secret of your life! But in the end, it's just a small sliver of who you are, and just try not to allow it to rule your life for the first few months after coming out. ^_^ Hope this helps. Give that guy a hug for me. As for you, you have the biggest balls of anyone I've ever met. A big congrats for coming out to your school during an assembly, and congrats for coming out and loving yourself at a young age. I wish I had loved myself sooner, but the past is written and the future is waiting to be written.
hey, thanks so much! do you think that i should give him the link for EC? i think it'd be useful for him.
coming out at age of 13 that IS brave! (*hug*) I didn't come out so no advice here, but yes u can tell your friends about EC, I think its a great idea
Ima bump this shiz and say to tell him to go at his own pace. Give him the address to get here on EC and pount him at the help & support forum. He can read some stories good and bad and get a feel for what could happen. Other than that, he'll just feel out his own situation and blaze his own path. No two coming outs are exactly the same.
This is so very true. There are so many factors in a person's life (e.g. family, community, religious beliefs, personal self-worth, etc.) that can affect how one comes out. Also, I can't believe I wasn't the only one but saying "I'm gay" (or bi) in front of the mirror can be so difficult but so good for you. I nearly trembled to the ground the first time I uttered those words.
