Hi there! I'm new here. The main reason I even joined this forum is to discuss the process of coming out. I'm 19, a freshman in college, and honestly, I feel so great about life right now; school is exactly what I'd hoped it to be, probably even more. The only issue I'm faced with right now is the fact that I'm a lesbian and not out yet. Seems like an easy fix, huh? I thought so too, but then I took a look at my situation: I'm a lesbian at a Catholic women's college. Hmm... I see some problems here. I thought that it wouldn't be too bad, all things considered, since there is a Gay/Straight Alliance and such, it's not unheard of to be queer here. Unfortunately, the extreme majority of the student body is made up of straight girls, many of which are either very religious/have conservative beliefs or that are the stereotypical "if-she's-a-lesbian-she'll-try-to-have-sex-with-me" girls. What a pickle I'm in! I desperately want to come out to the close group of friends I've made, but my first experience with coming out was honestly pretty scarring. Let me retell it! (sorry this is so long): On the day after Thanksgiving in 2014 I told my mom that I was gay. Whoops! My mistake. She wasn't angry at first, she was sad that I assumed "such a thing of myself," as if it were some sort of curse I was damned with. She kept questioning me: "You had crushes on boys in the past!" Okay, true. I did! But none since 7th grade, really. And the one boy I "dated" in 6th grade ended up being gay as well. "You haven't been with boys enough to know if you like them or not!" Ok, semi-true, but mom, were you ever with girls? You don't know if you like them either... See how silly it sounds now? "Have you ever thought about having sex with a girl???" God, mom! Mind your own business! She even told me to "stay openminded for her," to date boys AND girls, then choose. Again, did you try both? How did you know? She was on me all year about it and, until moving out, it was subtle but endless. So! My mistake to choose my mom as the first person to come out to. She still doesn't believe I'm a lesbian to this day, either. That experience really ruined the whole process for me, so now I'm really nervous to try again. I feel like my best friend and her boyfriend would be cool with it, and probably the rest of my new friends, but I don't want to be treated any differently! I'm super nervous, but it's been 19 years of single life and I'm getting kind of lonely; I want to be out so I can actively put myself on the market! I'm so sorry that that ended up being so long, but it's worth the read to know my situation. Any help would be appreciated! :help: Thanks! :smilewave: (Sorry for any typos, AHS is about to come on and I can't proofread, no time!)
