I came out to a friend tonight. He lives with his wife and kids in the neighborhood where I lived before I came out to my wife six months ago. His kids are friends with my kids. He's the first straight friend I've come out to and it couldn't have gone better. He was compassionate, understanding and full of encouragement. He said he respects the courage it took to tell my wife and choose to live authentically. I knew he'd be supportive, but hearing it from him really felt really good. This was funny...we were at a sports bar sitting below a 15 foot TV screen showing a hockey game with a crowd of fans watching. Right at the moment I told my friend I was gay, the home team scored and the bar erupted in cheering. I told him "I guess they approve." Anyhow, this was a great emotional boost when I really needed it. Looking forward to expanding the circle of people who know the real me.
Hey Spaceman, well done. It takes courage to start to tell friends who 'knew' you 'before'. I'm glad that he was positive and supportive. I'm not sure what it is but the friends and colleagues I've told have been really positive and supportive. Most think I'm incredibly brave (!) at this stage of my life turning it completely on its head but everyone thinks it's the right thing for me to have done. That reinforces my belief that it really was right for me to live authentically and free myself from the guilt that was always there. We both started out on our journeys within a matter of weeks of each other. It's incredible the landscape we are both looking at now when, 6/7 months ago it looked so very different. I'm glad that things are moving well for you
yes, Yes, YES!! This is how it's *supposed* to go! It is also, by the way, the way it *usually* goes...it's just that when it goes bad, it goes bad enough that it leaves an impression and makes us forget that people are usually quite decent, especially about things that don't really affect them. Congratulations!! Every time to you add a person to your "out" list, you'll have a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Now move on to your next-most-trusted person, and good luck there as well!
Congrats Spaceman! Well done. Other than co-workers and the kids I have no one else to come out to; and to me it's not exactly something relevant to work so I don't walk around the cube farm making an announcement; and the kids will be told in due course once I get a sense they're able to understand what this means.
