Hi, i've been thinking of coming out to my conservative christan family for a while now. They aren't very understanding of anything at all, I have autism and they are still struggling to come to terms with that and i'm 20 years old! But I hate not being able to express myself freely ): I'm bisexual and genderqueer and I really want to come out, but I have no idea how to explain these things to my family and i'm afraid they'll laugh it off, tell me it's a phase or just plain reject me ): Help ):
Well, you need to find allies first. What extended family do you have that is LGBT friendly? Gain these as supporters before going to your family. Any friends that can support if things go badly? Do you live at home?
So you have autism. I'm also ASD. You are at a disadvantage in an argument. You don't think "fast on your feet," and you're too straightforward for your own good. That's my experience of it, anyhow. Be strong. Your parents aren't going to throw you out just because they're conservative Christians. There is a difference between being conservative and being mentally unbalanced. Is it possible that they are mentally unbalanced? You're going to have to make a judgment call, there. Scenario A: Your parents are just conservative Christians but otherwise mentally balanced, "normal" individuals. Then, it might be worth it to come out, even though you might have a harder time than most. Any parent who is mentally balanced will eventually realize that a parent has a duty to his or her child, regardless of that child's beliefs or sexual orientation. Scenario B: However, if they are nuts...well, that's a problem. There is a time when the best thing you can do is get a boyfriend, get a job, and book it. If your parents are freaking loonies, then that's it. Escalating a situation with someone who is really out there crazy could actually be dangerous. You are not mentally equipped to talk down a psycho. Know your limits.
