How I Told My Family About My LGBTQ Identity

I came out to my friends first before my family. I started telling my friends about four years ago during my senior year of high school. I knew my friends would be accepting so I was not worried about it.However, I was much more nervous about telling my family. I did not end up telling my family for another two years after that.

It was only when I started dating my first girlfriend that I finally decided it was time to tell my mom. I was nervous to tell her, but she was immediately accepting.

After that, I just assume my mom told the rest of my family because I didn’t come out to anyone else, but nobody said anything when I brought a girl around for the first time.

I first realized I was not straight about four years ago, during the summer right before my senior year of high school. I had made a friend at summer camp that year and she quickly became my best friend- the two of us were absolutely inseparable.

Without even realizing it, I had developed romantic feelings for her and ended up having a huge crush on her. I didn’t even realize it at first, but one day it just hit me out of nowhere, and I have felt differently about girls ever since.

I’ve personally never had a problem with anyone treating me differently once I come out to them. I think it very much depends on the person and the situation when it comes to coming out.

Some people have a very positive experience because they are surrounded with accepting people who do not give them any problem.

However, there are people in the world who are not privileged enough to have a positive situation. Many people grow up in unaccepting, homophobic households or cultures and do not feel they are in a safe place to publicly come out.

Overall, I think the concept of coming out has certainly gotten easier as society has become wholly more accepting of LGBTQ people, but there are definitely still certain instances where this is not the case.

Since same-sex marriage legalization, I absolutely believe homophobia has decreased. Most people I know are fully accepting of LGBTQ people and I feel that overall the country has become more progressive and lenient in this way.

I think LGBTQ representation in the media is starting to improve and make headway, but certainly still has a long way to go.

We are starting to see more and more LGBTQ characters in mainstream media, but many of them are still just visual representations of stereotypes.