| There will come a time when you want to tell other people about that huge part of your life which is being gay; a time when you want to “come out”.
The benefits of doing this are many. Think about it for a moment: After coming out you can openly discuss your feelings with some of your friends. Coming out often reveals that your friends are fine with homosexuality, and even have questions regarding the subject. When you come out you can put all the secrecy behind you, and start to work on leaving behind any feelings of guilt about being gay you may have. |
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 Not all closets are this scary. But you're better off out of it. |
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| Coming out is the process of telling other people that you are gay. This can involve coming out to your parents, friends and work colleagues.
Coming out is often referred to as |
You discover people still love you after all, because the part of you which makes people love you has not changed.
You’ll find it easier to meet other gay people, and who knows, maybe you already have a friend who’s going through the same things as you are. Coming out could help others find the strength to come out too! Perhaps most importantly of all, the moment you start to come out, it marks a time of acceptance within yourself: that “Being gay is okay!” |
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| Okay, so I’m painting it all a little rose-coloured here, and yes, not everyone will be over the moon about you being gay. Some people will accept you, some won’t. You may lose a friend, and it may take some longer to come to terms with your coming out that others. Of course, your parents are another bag altogether...
Do be cautious about who you tell; use your instincts. There’s no rush, so wait if you feel you need to. Some of my friends waited until they left home before coming out to their parents. This has the obvious benefit of you not being on their “territory”, so if things get heated, you can leave them to digest the news, and allow them some space to adjust. |
Many people feel happier, calmer, more confident and more positive about the future after coming out. Being in the closet can be a lonely, worrying and unhappy place. Denying your feelings is unhealthy and can be costly in terms of your emotional well-being.
If you’re scared and want to talk to someone who can help, see the Links section for phone numbers and useful resources. |
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| Read up on homosexuality before coming out. Be ready for those questions, and get to know yourself more in the process too. | Think firstly about how your parents have reacted to gay people on television and in the media. Think also before telling them how they have handled other issues in your life. Have they always been supportive and understanding? Have they shown love even when you’ve been in trouble? What about times when you have made decisions they didn’t like. Did they support you even though they disapproved? If in serious doubt, don’t come out.
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