Coming out as a teen

Here are ways to come out and reassurance that you are not alone. According to HRC, 40% of teens come out every year.  I can assure you more than half of them are scared to come out, but the same ones who are afraid to come out have a happy ending. Some don’t but 50% of coming out stories have positive outcomes. Don't feel like you have to come out either.

My experience with coming out as a teen has been positive. Even though both of my parents weren't always sure about what it meant to have two daughters who were LBGTQ. After explaining in detail what polyamorous (polyamorous means to have open intimate or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time) and pansexual (not limited to a sexual choice not caring about biological sex, gender, or gender identity) were, they were fine with it. 

I was scared when I first came out; I didn't know if they were going to accept me and that scared me. So I brought it up in a conversation about what their opinions were about the community. My mom’s opinion was: as long as I’m happy she doesn't care who I date. My dad’s opinion was the same thing but he said, “As long as they don't hurt you and you’re happy, who you date does affect me,”. After they said that I knew it was safe to come out and I am so happy I was able to. It was like a weight taken off of my shoulders. I have been out for almost three years. I wish someone would have given me ways to come out or a how-to-come-out guide. I wish I had someone to tell me before I came out that nothing was wrong with me. I wanted someone to tell me that I  wasn't alone and I wasn't the only one who would have to go through this. 

You shouldn’t feel like you have to come out, only do it when you are safe and comfortable and able to. There are other ways of coming out too: you can do it funnily or seriously, for example, hold up a circle and say “This is as straight as I am”; you could even bake a cake and write you're sexuality or gender in the cake. Here is a video with “100 different ways to come out”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYEBTac8qmw&t=558s. More seriously, you can just sit down and tell them and tell them that you are still you and nothing has changed. There are always people that you can go to, different foundations that you can call if you feel unsafe for any reason after you come out they will help and assist you. You might be afraid now or even nervous about what others may think but just remember that you were born like this and that's okay it just makes you unique in your way.

You are you for a reason and you shouldn’t be afraid to show that or tell anyone. You may face judgment and that's okay because there is nothing wrong with you and you are not alone. Even if you are still in the closet or thinking that you are safe to come out. People are there with you. You are never alone in the process.

• Jay
  

The Trevor Project - https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Turning Points- (802) 885-4668
The GLBT National Youth Talkline- (800) 246-7743.

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Jay