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Coming out to my parents?

Discussion in 'Family, Friends, and Relationships' started by Dakeli27, Aug 14, 2014.

  1. Dakeli27

    Regular Member

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    My parents are entirely supportive of LGBT+ rights, however I'm still afraid to come out to them as pan. I feel like they always see me as much younger than I am, and when my friend came out, they said he was probably doing it for attention. That was the last time I talked to them about him, but I don't think they noticed. Again, they're definitely not homophobic at all, but I don't think they'll really take me seriously, and it's hard to talk to them about anything personal, let alone my sexuality.
    I'm slowly coming out to people close to me, and I'm not really hiding it from anyone, just not bringing it up with most people. I am worried I might get a little grief if word really gets out. My school is the kind that isn't homophobic, but the students are fine with saying "that's gay". Most people know I'm often extremely uncomfortable socially, and do things just to make me a little uncomfortable. It isn't bad, but I'm afraid it'll get worse if I come out to enough people.
     
  2. Dakeli27

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    Basically, my question is whether or not, and how, to come out to my parents, and how I should eventually come out to my school. I do want my school to know, but I really don't need the attention.
     
  3. resu

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    You seem to have a lot of anxiety that makes your fears seem insurmountable, but you're going in the right direction by coming out to close friends. You can't have everyone in your school knowing without having some attention. However, that attention will quickly pass. Chances are the word will spread on its own. It may seem scary, but you can't really have others knowing without them paying attention. Eventually, they'll get over it.

    As for your parents, it's harder to tell since you'll be living with them for a while longer. But, that makes coming out to them all the more important so that they can have time to digest things and hopefully be a longterm support. You might try bringing up LGBT topics and seeing how they would react.