I'm not sure if anyone is going to read all this but I thought my story would help those who may think they're hopelessly stuck in the closet. Here goes: I come from a very religious middle eastern family. My family goes to church every Sunday and my parents are both very close with God. This made coming out all the more daunting to me. When I told my sister a few months ago, she was in utter disbelief. She thought it was a phase and was very confused, but she was extremely supportive. She told me that she didn't see me any differently and would always look up to me, no matter what. I couldn't have asked for more from her. I knew I would be telling one of my parents next, I just didn't know which. For the few days after I told my sister, she was visibly affected by it and went to see the priest at our church. My dad noticed this and began to question her. He soon got the idea that this was something concerning me and immediately started assuming the worst. He would ask her day after day what was wrong, but she insisted it didn't have to do with me. For some reason, he was certain it had to do with me and began to question me. This continued until I came home from school this weekend and decided to sit down with my sister and him and finally tell him. My father is a traditional middle eastern man, where the attitude towards gays is extremely hostile. He didn't come to America till he was in college. This was a man who responded to one of his first college papers on gay rights with "Gays have no rights." I had no idea how he would react. When I finally sat down and told him, his immediate reaction was, "No you're not. I know my son." Once my sister and I fully explained the situation, I was amazed with how he took it all. He basically told me he was extremely proud of me for dealing with being gay for so long without telling anyone. He told me I was a true man in his eyes and that we would deal with it as a family. Though he still had his opinions on being gay, he told me that we would pray as a family and he would accept whatever God showed him. I really couldn't have asked for more. This goes out to anyone who is afraid of coming out to conservative families. I used to shake my head at all the stories of how easily parents accepted their kids' coming out, thinking it would never happen so easily with me. Don't be too nervous, you're family really might surprise you for the better :icon_bigg
Thanks for sharing! That really is awesome and congratulations! I still haven't told my parents. Mine aren't so conservative but I have no idea what their views are on homosexuality... We never talk about that stuff. I guess I'll just have to find out when I come out to them :eek:
Wow that is awesome that your sister and dad reacted the way they did! I really don't think my dad (or mom, for that matter) would take it so well, though. Actually I know they wouldn't. But thanks for sharing your story; it really is great!
...I'm so glad I drew parents who vote Green Party every time. Fear of rejection was never in the equation.
I havnt told my mother yet cause ever time I'm listening to my favorite band she goes and asks why I'm so into them but when I liked a band that was straight she had no problem thatt makes me uncomfortable but also my father died before I was born and it seems to me it would be easier to come out to a father as lesbian because obviously straight men love women my familys real religous and so am I even if god sends me to hell I still love him
My family is also middle eastern, but the funny part is that my parents are pretty liberal and not religious at all, yet my dad reacted much worse than your dad. I wish it could've worked out this way for me.
