And what convinced you to do it (if you are, obviously)? Personally, I was terrified because my family has this rather nasty habit of saying they're OK with something, then throwing it into one another's faces just to hurt each other when we get into arguments. I finally came out after I saw the way families supported each other, and the way people can rush to their brother / son / sister / niece / whatever's side whenever they suffer indignation. Unfortunately, my situation was not as hunky-dory, but I'm curious about other people's stories.
2007-04-28 00:36:43 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
My family does that, too!
My religion (I was in the Assemblies of God church) kept me from it. And then when I was 18, I met another young woman, and became motivated.
Story here:
http://crackerlilo.blogspot.com/2006/07/no-one-is-to-blame.html
2007-04-28 06:29:52 · answer #1 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I used to be afraid that people would not like me and/or think less of me for being bisexual. In fact some of the first people I told did just that, I got told by people who I thought were my friends that I was sick and disgusting (as well as some other nasty things I care not to repeat). So, for some years I never told anyone again.
But when I found out my mother was dying, I decided life is too short to live a lie. So I told her, all my worst fears of being rejected did NOT come true. In fact, just the opposite, she was actually happy and relieved that I had come out. I am glad I came out, I just wished I had done it sooner.
Now the same cannot be said for the rest of my family as far as being accepting. But that's another story.
2007-04-28 13:26:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I became of age in the early 70's, so it was really hard to come out. It was like signing your own death warrant then. I went to a country school where it was not even heard of being Gay. I had a lover, but it was kept very secret, and we were known a just "buddies".
Later in the early 80's I met someone and I knew that eventually everyone would figure it out, so good or bad, I came out of the closet.
2007-04-28 08:01:13 · answer #3 · answered by gutterrat49 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fear not only of rejection, but being thought of as crazy for being a transsexual. Eventually I came out though, but that was after therapy and I was already on track to get hormones and name changed, so I told people because I was obviously going to be changing and thought that I should make the effort to include them in my life rather than cut them out without giving them a chance.
2007-04-28 08:41:15 · answer #4 · answered by elvishbard 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I didn't think my parents would be very supportive of me if I told them I was bi and liked crossdressing; but they ended up finding out the other day when my mother found some of my skirts hidden in my room. It was impossible to keep hiding from them, so I came clean.
They've actually been very supportive, even agreeing to let me buy a footlocker to put my crossdressing gear in so I don't have to worry about anybody coming in my room and accidentally finding them.
2007-04-28 16:48:34 · answer #5 · answered by armageddonsquirrel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. By the time I knew I was gay at age 19, both my parents were dead. I had nobody to *come out* to.
2007-04-28 07:40:33 · answer #6 · answered by Gay Man 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fear. I came out because I fell in love.
2007-04-28 07:49:50 · answer #7 · answered by John 16 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋