My actual coming out story happened 10 years ago, way before I joined the forum. But despite this, I wanted to share it with other members, because it was still an important milestone. I was 14 when I first came out to her, and I was in tears; I was terrified. But she hugged me and said it didn't change anything. She actively understood; she never said that it was just a phase, she never said I needed to experiment, she never questioned me at all. She believed me, and whenever she would 'tease' me about crushes and stuff, she would only use female pronouns. I was able to talk to her about my crushes, and she was supportive and held me when I was rejected. I suffer from internalized homophobia a lot; my school and friend system were not supportive at all, but knowing someone was on my side made it better. A few years ago, we had to go to a family get together, many of which were very religious and homophobic. They started saying bad things about gay people, even wishing death on them, which scared me and brought me to tears (especially since many knew about me). Well, my Mom stood up and said 'If you continue to say things like that, I don't want you anywhere near my child or the rest of my family" and she stormed off. Just the other day, she comforted me when I was still having trouble accepting myself, and it just....it means a lot. I read so many heartbreaking stories on EC, that I realize how lucky I am to have such a strong support system (and to hopefully give others hope that not all straight parents are judgmental). I love my Mom and I'm so happy she was there when I needed her most.
That is a wonderful coming out story, and I am so glad you Mum supports you and accepts you for who you are.. It is very sad when I read a lot of people's threads and they are scared because they know the reaction or the reaction wasn't good, so it's good to see there are parents who are accepting of their children.
Thats so great that your mom supports you and even better that she stood up for you you got a great mom that loves and supports you congratulations on your coming out !
Fallingdown7, it is so wonderful that your mother was there for you. Amazing story, thanks for sharing! (*hug*)
That almost brought tears to my eyes! I wish I had a fun and open relationship with my mother like that! I am luckier than most, she said she will always love me for who I am (aww) and stopped the homophobic comments after I came out, even though they come from hardwired religion. (Though my dad has not really..) But it's still too awkward to be open like that, I only wish.. Maybe someday! But really, your mom is awesome! Way to defend your child like a good mother! Congrats on coming out, even though it's ten years after. XD It's still awesome.
Thanks for sharing that story! It's always good to hear positive coming out stories. Your mother sounds awesome!
It's great when the people we're supposed to be able to count on come through for us! Not to thread jack but sometimes I feel like this forum can use all the positivity it can muster so I'll throw in my Mom story--I've told it once before here but, well, here goes. She was the first person I told--much later in life than you Falling (congrats on coming to grips with things so early in life), I had already finished university--and it was over twenty years ago. My mother insists she had no idea. Well, actually she knew about a minute or two before I finally managed to tell her. To understand the story you have to know that I had a college friend named Cesar whose parents had disowned him when he came out. So I finally built up the courage to tell my mother--she was the very first person I told, I built up to it--there's something I need to tell you, it's important, it's going to be difficult for both of us, etc. And then I just fell apart, crying and hysterical. And my mother told me that I could tell her anything, that she would always love me. And still I just couldn't do it--I just couldn't... and so we sat there for a while. And finally my mother took my hands in hers looked me square in the eye and said "you know your father and I would never do what Cesar's parents did, now what do you have to tell me." I kind of thought maybe it meant that she had always known, but I asked her about it years later and she insisted that she hadn't even suspected. Even when I told her I had something important to tell her, no inkling. Then finally when we were sitting there on the couch me sobbing and her just sitting there confused it all came to her. She said it was strange because it was like the knowledge came to her fully-formed. She said she even thought maybe somehow she had known subconsciously because she describes sitting there and suddenly knowing what it was I had to tell her. And also knowing that I had come to a point in my life where I couldn't move on until I told her--that I had to tell her, and yet I couldn't. And she says it just came to her that if I didn't tell her right then and there that I might never do so--and she was suddenly so afraid for me if I wasn't able to do this and move on. And so she said what she said... and of course I told her--and shortly thereafter everyone else. And my life was completely transformed... She was an amazing woman.
