For me it all got easier because it sort of brought me out of my shell. I remember my Mother commenting that she hadn't realized how withdrawn I was until it all just sort of went away. My Father once commented that it was like I was finally really there. Other than people being afraid for me I didn't experience a lot of negativity from friends and family--and my family was quite religious so that was quite a surprise. They were very afraid for me. This was a long time ago and there was a lot more overt discrimination than there is now, but once they saw that it had made me a better, stronger, more confident person most of those fears pretty quickly faded.
My friendships with those people kinda died. They took it well, but it was like slowly growing apart, except extremely quickly. Hence the "out to a few people, not out at all". But to be honest, they weren't that great of friends to begin with.
It's only been like a few weeks, but things are already really different. I'm rapidly growing apart from the first person I came out to, but we had been growing apart before this. Just now it's like super duper obvious. I don't know if it's related to me being out, part of me feels like it is but it's hard to tell. As for all of my other friends who I'm super close to and spend a ton of time with, we're all still super cool. My mom is fine now (it's only been like 5 days). We kind of talk about it because she's trying to get me to come out to my brother and it's not awkward at all. Before I started telling them, I was most worried that it would change our relationships. I knew that nobody I was telling was a homophobic trashbag but I mean things still change. I'm already feeling ok about that one friend drifting..sometimes thing work out for the better. Good luck, and I know you'll be fine.
Things with most of my friends have been exactly the same. Oddly I'm a little more relaxed around a couple of my guy friends, and in general I feel like I can be a bit more laid back around them all. There is one friend who has been acting oddly lately, one of my closest friends, I've been getting a weird vibe from her. I'm not sure if it has to do with my coming out or her own issues, however. She knows I've been having a rough time emotionally off and on, and seems to be keeping her distance because of it, which is a little hurtful.
My friends didn't change at all. Most actually applauded the courage it took to come out. I lost one set of friends, but given the vitriol I faced it was not a loss. I'm an only child and both my parents are deceased. My cousins were only disappointed that I didn't come out to them until my divorce. I've actually be come closer to my son. My youngest daughter once she got over the divorce thinks it's wonderful. She likes all the young men in the chorus - the more flamboyant the better and they treat her like a mascot. She likes that Daddy lives in town near all the little, interesting shops. The big change was with my ex-wife. The divorce obviously changed our relationship. We're still friends, we still love one another, however, it is a bit distant. We are growing closer, but it is taking time.
I'm not out yet but I do know that things would change for the worse and make me even more of a loner, in regards to family, a fair amount of the people I work with, etc. This is the reason that I'm working on getting myself away from the area atm. I'm not too sure about a few close friends that I only get to see occasionally though. Now that section of my circle might end a bit better, but I don't really know, honestly... Not sure why I have to be surrounded by this crap... :confused2:
Cousin: After about 10-15 minutes, things settled down into a typical routine. If there was any change, it was independent on that knowledge. My cousin was/is already on a self-destructive path. Special Lady: Same thing. You have no idea how funny it is, looking at me and hearing me say, "I'm a beautiful woman on the inside!". That shit ain't easy, LOL. But seriously, this one, it kind of did cause a problem. Not for anything hateful, it was just easier for the two of us, especially if/when I transition. But, then again, I'm very selective about what I let be known, especially something that level of vulnerable.
