Does Coming Out Get Easier?

Does it get easier? Many people will say yes, but I find it awkward and strange 'coming out' so tend to drop it into conversation. I just mention my partners name when the opportunity presents itself and people realise I'm gay.

I'm a Christian. I go to an inclusive Anglican Church where the congregation is open and accepting of different cultures, lifestyles etc. It's a friendly, tolerant place.

 

Yes.

For example I was shaking when I first came out to my friends 2 years ago. The other month my best friends little sisters boyfriend, who is my age, casually asked me if I'm gay because he's "heard rumours", I said yes. I've been out for 2 years, I just assume everyone knows now.

Once you come out to the people that's important, it's easier to come out to those that don't matter to you.

 

I would say that it gets easier sometimes, but not all the time. For instance, after I started coming out to friends at school, I don't have much of a problem with it anymore. EXCEPT, most of the people I'm out to are girls. There's only 3 guys I'm out to in person, and I want to come out at work, but I'm still finding it difficult to talk about. For me it got easier in some situations but not in others. I think that's how most people are; depends on the situation and reason for coming out.

 

Yes.

 

Not for me. There is some people i could never tell. But i think im fine with that for now.

 

I've had bad experiences coming out which really affected me for years but now I'm more confident with who I am. I now think that if someone has a problem with my sexuality then it is their problem. I would be the same person gay or straight. Plus, I never do public displays of affection with my Mrs so what difference does it make to someone if I'm gay or not? We are just like friends in public

 

No, it doesn't. When my family found out, not only was my family a nightmare about it, my friends all dropped me like a hot potato, my teachers bullied me, and my community picked on me incessantly. Things got much worse from there before they got better. I was seriously questioning and miserable in college, and even now, living in a relatively receptive area of the country, I still don't mention it to people unless it's an absolute necessity.

 

I came out on text, but I actually don't know how it felt to be honest. I still have this eternal self-esteem struggle that doesn't have anything to do with being gay, well partially, it does, but anyway...
My point it, there's so much going on in my head and my mentality that I haven't really been able to sort things out, or sort out my life in general. So if it gets easier is hard to say..
On one hand, it definitely is easier. You don't have to hide it anymore.
But on the other hand, as to happens with many people, you start to feel really lonely.
In my case, I was very proud of myself just saying it to someone. Their natural response was to act like it's not a big deal (which it isn't) but that's where the problem occurs.

You want it to be a big deal, because this is a thing that's been bothering you forever, and you want that recognition and the pat on your back to weigh up for the pressure you've been dealing with forever, but at the same time you don't want it to be a big deal, because you just want to feel like a normal person, that your sexuality doesn't have such an impact on your life (which is a whole other point of discussion, so I'll leave it out for this post)

I usually feel fine. But as every human being on the planet, I do have my ups and downs. I think the "downs" are slightly more frequent than the "ups" but that's not something even I can comment on (as I don't have a mental record of my feelings, duh)
Even though I don't have any gay friends and/or boyfriend, my life and well being is considerably well. It's just depressing sometimes, having no one to share your mutuals feelings and struggles with.
Oh well Sorry for this lenghty post. I have a habit of leaving them like that

 

I agree with this. Once your sexual orientation is part of your established image to the extent that it feels like common knowledge, it's easy to admit to anyone who isn't sure, especially if it's someone you're not close to as you're less likely to be concerned about their opinion.

Told my family shortly before Thanksgiving and then had my boyfriend over for intros. For friends, I took the easy way and just posted a picture of my boyfriend and me on Facebook, and we linked our relationship status for good measure. Boom, it became common knowledge, although I did have some friends express disappointment that I didn't tell them in person. Oh well... lol

 

I would say that it depends who you come from to !
For example, when i first came out, it was to a bi guy-friend, and I couldn't look at him in the eyes for the week that followed, just knowing that he knew ! And i was shaking like hell when i came out to my best friends !
But they reacted so well, and I was way more confident to come out to my other friends. I still waited a few month, but now, I come out to someone about once every week. It has quite become natural, and it's not something i fear !

But I never told anyone of my family, not even my little sister who i'm quite close to ! And I find it sooo difficult to come out to family !

So yeah: It depends ! If you trust your friends, it is easier each time, but when you change the context, it becomes harder again !

 

There are two answers to this.There is the answer that you want to hear which is yes and then there is the answer which is true for me which is unfortunately no.Because you are always coming out to new people you never know how they will take it which can be really worry some. In my head I am always wondering if I will be rejected which is why for me personally it doesn't get any easier-especially when it comes to talking to my parents because if I am rejected by them then I may have no where to go and no one to support me. Again I know this isn't what you want to hear but it can be true and I think that you need to prepare for every reaction-good,bad and ugly.