First, I would like to clarify that I am not out at all right now. I am contemplating telling a few friends, but I tend to go back and forth a lot on that decision. However, eventually I want to be out. My biggest hesitation is my job situation. I love my job. Hands down, best one I have had so far. In 1.5-2 years it will be over and I will be moving to Los Angeles, though. The thing that is holding me back from coming out in my personal life is that if my employers find out, I will get fired. You can try and tell me it won't happen, but I don't work for a company. They can and more than likely would fire me if they knew. So I guess my question is, do I come out to a few friends and family (most friends will be ok with it, and my oldest sister is a lesbian...so I doubt that my mom would have THAT big of an issue with it), and try and keep it from my work life? Or do I stay in awkward limbo for 2 years, but come out right before/after I move?
Depends. I tend to look at situations like these as a risk/reward thing. If you're careful about it, regardless whether you come out or not the risk of your work finding out that you're a lesbian is small. However, through coming out a whole plethora of good things could happen to you in the meantime. I think the big worry is that you might need to work harder to actively conceal your personal life from your work. But if you already have a good habit of keeping your work life and your home life separate, then it shouldn't be too big of an issue. Though I don't have a great job or anything, I'm out at home/university/friends but I'm still closeted at work (barring a couple people in my home circle who also work there). It's more than doable, even though it might get annoying at times. If you can manage that, I'd say go for it. You said it yourself - the limbo is awkward; who wants to put up with that for another 2 years?
I agree with Budder. No point in waiting that long just for the job. Plenty of people manage to keep work and home separate, even over the long term. The people you come out to will have to understand the risk and be willing to help you keep this from your employers. It seems obvious, but if they don't know what they can and can't do (like leaving messages for you at work), they could accidently out you. I'm not saying it's an extra risk, just something to keep in mind when you come out to them. People who have never been in a closet may not have thought about those things.
