What's harder? Coming out to a stranger or coming out a close person?

I found it easier to come out to stangers, or even people I didn't know that well. My family was the hardest

 

For me, it's definitely a stranger, you don't know them, you'll probably never see them again, they actually have no involvement in your life

 

WAY easier with a stranger. Look at this thread for evidence of that, the most hilarious thing in the world!

 

Strangers are far easier to tell.

 

Family and friends is always the hardest. You care what they think and don't want to be judged by them or viewed differently than how you were before they knew you were gay. With strangers/new acquaintance, people generally don't care what they think and don't have much to worry about.

 

Definitely strangers, it's so much easier because you don't know them as much, so don't really have to care if they judge you. If it's someone close, that one piece of info you tell them could make all the difference, for better or for worse.

 

If they ask me I say I am bi. And if that causes misunderstandings I politely explain that I have previously dated women and men and I enjoyed both.

Also, what kind of misunderstanding could arise from saying you are gay? Seems pretty straightforward to me. "I am gay = I like guys."

 

I try to hide from everyone, buuut I'd say strangers would be easier. Because you have to live with you family and what not, but strangers you may never see them ever again.

 

I think coming out to a close person, specially your family, is much harder. I've come out to friends, but not to parents. However, I don't see any reason to come out to a stranger. You might have something to lose by doing that, but nothing to gain. If people ask if I'm gay, I'm going to say yes, unless its a classmate. But I believe people will assume I'm gay after I get into a gay club or kiss my boyfriend right in front of them hehe

---------- Post added 23rd Jan 2013 at 08:59 PM ----------

Oh, and about the second question, I'll only tell a stranger about mt sexuality if I'm asked first. I'll say it fast and without hesitating, because now in certain (and proud) of who I am.

 

Coming out to a close person is so much harder becasue of the fear of losing them. I really don't care if people know I'm gay or not, because mostly everbody knows anyway. The way I see it is, why tell people anyway, unless they ask or if like a girl is hitting on me then yeah sure of course I'm going to tell them. "Sweetie, I'm sorry, but I'm gay." LOL. Or if they ask. But other than that, there's really no need to bring it up. But that's just my opinion.

 

Coming out to strangers is definitely the easiest, then coming out to acquaintances, and finally coming out to close friends and family. It's hard to come out to friends and family because they already have this idea of who you are and you don't want to change how they think about you. Whereas, with a stranger or an acquaintance you don't know them that well so they just accept that you are gay as a part of who you are.

 

It's way easier for someone to come out to a complete stranger or even acquaintance because usually the stakes are a lot lesser.

 

This has basically already been said, but it is much harder for me to come out to people close to me. With an acquaintance it's all so casual because what's the worst that could happen? I don't really care enough about them for it to matter whether or not they stop talking to me. With family or close friends that potential of losing them is there. That is one seriously scary fear and that's what makes coming out so hard.

 

It's a lot easier to tell a stranger than to tell a friend or family member. As for the second question, I only tell a stranger/co-worker/random people I'm gay if they ask, I don't really feel like it's any of their business or something they need to know.