How have you come out to family/friends, etc?

Yay! It's a big step!
I've only come out to one person so far, but I figure my single experience may be of some help. So, I decided a long time ago a family member would be the first to know. I wasn't sure who in the beginning, but I settled on my brother being the first to know of my preference for guys. I chose him because we are really close and, although I know I'll find acceptance with my parents, I knew he'd really understand me.

I thought about how to tell him. I considered texting him while we were both home in the same room. In the end I chose a long car ride. We were on our way home and I just waited for a drop in conversation. I didn't really even give myself time to think because I knew I'd back out. I just forced the words out. I simply said, "I'm gay."

And that was it! Just like that I was out. After years and years. We talked about it the whole ride home. He's perfectly cool with it. He doesn't treat me any different. I joke about it now and he's his usual "blah" self.
All is good. And this was like 2 months ago so it's very fresh in my mind.

So if you want to keep things "easy" maybe you could take my route.

 

I had to come out to my mother three times, my brother once.

My mother the first time, when I said that I liked both,I came out by writing my thoughts out and reading them. She only responded by nodding and didn't say anything. At that point anything gender-neutral I'd mention she'd get upset. I couldn't say things such as 'Regardless of gender,' without her getting upset. But coming out about the attraction to females helped tremendously with my anxiety about that whole part of me.

The second time and third time was during the time I was dating my ex-girlfriend. Second time, she was still in heavy denial and wouldn't talk about it at all. She made comments such as,'You haven't found the right guy,' or 'You're not gay,' and when I tried to talk about my ex, she'd be all like,'I don't want to hear it, and she didn't want me telling anyone,even though at that time I had already told my best friend of ten years(not about me dating though, just the coming out part), and my brother knew before her about me dating my ex, he was a lot more accepting than my mother and accepted that I could either be bisexual or lesbian. Ironically though, all through my childhood, my mother questioned my sexuality because I had pictures of female actresses as wallpapers on the computer, and collages I made with actresses I liked. To this day, she won't talk about it still and I don't talk about it with her. She has this belief that it's a phase, and she's had that belief since I was a teen. Never took me seriously. I think she still is holding hope that I'll date a guy, but considering how little to not attracted I am to them, I don't push it.

My best friend I came out to a year ago. She had asked me why I always post pictures of women and talk about them, and rarely men. Her mom had asked her and she was curious, so I told her. She's very open minded so I didn't worry too much with her. Her first concern was with our mutual friend who isn't really open minded. I had felt this girl out(our mutual friend) and felt that she wasn't homophobic, she was just not open minded and not exposed much so I told my best friend that I was never going to tell this girl because I felt that she wasn't open minded enough and plus, this girl and I aren't close close anymore, so I didn't see the point.

My counselor I came out in the first session, and other than that I'm not really out. I'm waiting until I'm more sure of myself and improve on my self esteem and confidence before I do so. I want to be sure of my sexuality first.

Most times, I've told my mother things using writing. Mostly because, I'm better when I write then when I speak. My thoughts are a lot less jumbled in writing and as my counselor says to me, I'm quite profound in my thoughts,and I find that my thoughts are harder to convey in words when I speak. I get all jumbled and hardly make sense.

 

Nothing too exciting for me.

I called my mom (I was in AZ in college, she was home in AK), told her I had something to tell her and just told her "I'm gay".

She had some concerns about it being a'hard life', which I dismissed as I was perfectly aware of that and ready to deal with whatever might come along. We talked a bit about not telling my dad (who was an awful person), and my brother (who had become born again recently) and I assume (although I don't remember anymore) that we discussed her telling the rest of the family. Certainly they all knew in short order. Then I just went on about my business and went on to come out to my friends.

For my friends and co-workers, I pretty much did the same thing, but face-to-face: I have something to tell you - I'm gay.

I did hold off a bit on telling my housemates at the time since they had both made homophobic comments and figured the living situation could get awkward (but I changed living situations fairly often so it wasn't a major concern). They ended up each asking me about it individually due to some stuff that was going on with a guy I was seeing and I came out to them as well. They both apologized for things they'd said and we became closer friends because of it.

Don't know that this particularly helpful, but there it is.

Todd

 

I came out to my parents by leaving a note when I went to bed, then I said it face to face to my brother and sister, then a few months later I blurted it as my Facebook status. My family have taken it great. My close friends have been fine. Some people will always be twats though

 

I came out to my closest friends because they can't stop asking me why I'm not like the others who openly talks about beautiful girls and how they like their ideal girlfriend to be. It was also the time that I felt bad to be lying to my friends who I trust the most all the time and most importantly to myself. Fast forward to the coming out, I told 2 of them first, then continued to another 1 later the same day. I was actually surprised that the thought of me being gay never crossed their mind. They thought I was a late bloomer because of the issues from my horrible past being a victim of bully. It was a mix feeling at that time, 1. I don't have to worry about being outed to my other group of friends (who are more homophobic), 2. It will be hard for me to be spotted by other gays D=

Needless to say, we are still good friends and now I can be more of myself around them.

 

I came out to my closest friends via Facebook then talking to them about it one-on-one the next day. They were all cool with it (and of course, they had their questions, concerns, curiosities, etc.).

I came out to my mum on Christmas with a note. Needless to say...I don't know if that was the right decision or not, but I did what I had to do, and that's that.