So I'm planning on coming out to my mom tomorrow morning and then my dad later on. I'm just wondering if anyone could please give me some advice I feel like my mom and dad would be OK with me being gay, i just don't know how to tell them. I mean, does anyone have any advice on how they came out? Specifically, does anyone have any advice on what to do if it goes bad? for example, if I tell my mom and dad "I'm gay" and they just freak out, any advice on what to do? Should I try to reason with them, or just leave? I'm not scared, but I do have a for sure sense of apprehension. Well, come tomorrow morning, here goes nothing. Thank you for any and all advice.
Plan out what you're going to say and anticipate some questions they may ask you. Itll help ease your mind so you won't blank out
Thank you for your response ZebraJynx121 I've already thought out what I'm going to say initially, it's just so hard to plan for what'll happen afterwards. Like, I just don't know if they'll be ok with it, or if everything will be different from then on out. gawd, I just don't know...
Emphasize the fact that nothing is different about you; that you are the same you have always been, but now want to share this with them so that you can talk to them openly about your friends and feelings. Be familiar with the "5 stages" that they might have to go through and tell them about PFLAG (PFLAG: Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) so that they have a place to look for information they may need.
Hi there, and welcome to Empty Closets! Should you coming out not go as planned, or if they react in a way that you hadn't anticipated, it would be good to give them the time to come around to it. In many respects, parents have to come out too. Adjusting their dreams for you, and of what the future could look like, might take a bit of time. From what you have mentioned, it seems that they are accepting and things will be alright. In addition to what has been mentioned above, if you feel that speaking with them in person would be too nerve wrecking or feel you would not be able to say the things you would like to say, you could also try writing a letter, and give it to your mom and dad. It might also give them a little bit of extra time to process things - if they need it. Have some resources ready, which you could leave for your parents to read, if need be. PFLAG has some pretty good resources including Our Daughters and Sons, which provides some answers to common questions that parents might have after their child comes out to them. Hope it goes well.
I'm a big believer in doing all possible preparation in advance to make things smoother...have you done any recon work, like try to get a feel for how they feel re: LGBT stuff in general?
