I'm thirteen and have fairly recently (about December) realized that whatever I am, it isn't straight. I identified as bisexual for a while, but now lesbian just feels more right. I am in a happy, supportive, gay rights supportive home, and go to an accepting private "safe space" school. On Friday, I came out to a friend who I know wouldn't really think twice about it (she and I share links to feminist blogs and have conversations about LGBT related current events). I just slipped it into the conversation, and she was fine, and it didn't matter. Today, I told another friend of mine, who was also fine with it. But she warned me to not tell anyone else because she was concerned that the people at my school would make my life...worse. I'm not very good socially, and I don't have many friends whom I really connect with; I seek intellectual conversation, and there really isn't a ton of that amongst the eighth graders. To lose anyone right now would be really hard, but to not tell people would also be hard. I'm ready to say something. But should I?
I have not come out to anyone yet so I'm sorry I can't give you that perspective but my instinct is telling me that you'd be better off if you didn't force the issue. What I mean is, if someone asks then you tell them. Otherwise, I wouldn't go out of my way to tell them. Because, you're right, at that age (8th grade) intellectual conversation/analysis can be hard to come by. Again, I'm sorry I'm not speaking from experience but this is probably how I'd approach the situation if it were me instead of you.
