My name is Teddy, I live in a pridominantly Christian community in North Carolina. I am 16 years old and I am a Junior in High School. I have known that I am gay since I was 11, but I don't have any gay friends, family, people at school, or community leaders/mentors who are also gay. I have never had anyone who I can talk to and I feel isolated from my peers. My manager at work is training to be a pastor. My school guidance counselor is deeply involved in the Christian Church, and so are my parents. (they are vocaly against homosexuality) Nobody at my school (~450 students) is openly gay and my school is a big part of my social life. I have a 4.0 Gpa, and I am a student ambassado.My mother works at the school that I go to. Next year is my senior Prom; at my junior Prom this year, I didn't have a date. I was the only person in my social group who went alone! I know that it's just one night, but Prom is a very important event in my high school career. I don't want to go alone next year. I also don't want to take advantage of a girl, just to get a date! (prom isn't my number one priority, but it still concerns me) Overall I don't know how my school, community, nor my life at home, will react to me coming out. -On one hand; I could come out and I inspire other peers of mine to come out as well. -But on the other hand, if I come out and no one else is gay, I risk being socially shunned and being "let go" from my job. What should I do???! Please help me!!!
Start exploring colleges in other parts of the country which are more gay friendly. Focus on your studies and doing your best in the Fall semester of your Senior year. When it comes to the prom, that is seriously going to seem like no big deal after you leave high school, so find a girl you are friends with who doesn't have a steady boy friend and take her to the prom, and only to the prom. Then graduate and get the heck out of NC. You don't have much to come out TO right now.
I would wait until you have gone to college and are independent, before coming out of the closet. I think that in your current situation it would be far too risky come out. I have heard of so many cases where minors came out to homophobic parents and were kicked out of the house. (etc.) If you wait to tell them once you are an independent adult, you'll presumably have a safety net to fall back on incase they don't accept you. When it comes time for you to go to college, I suggest that you find one that is LGBT-friendly and out of state. Good Luck.
