Coming Out

Coming out is when a person decides to share a piece of their identity with others, usually involving their sexual orientation or gender identity. Coming out can be very scary! It is a very personal decision with no right or wrong answer – you and your identity are valid no matter who you choose to share it with.

I summarized these tips for coming out from The Trevor Project’s guide:

1. Reflect on who in your life supports and encourages you no matter what.
2. Plan it out ahead of time – think of what you’re going to say and maybe even practice it.
3. Be prepared for how other people may react, both good and bad.
4. Test the waters to give you an idea of how someone may react. For example, you could ask them how they feel about an LGTBQ+ celebrity or marriage equality.
5. Think about your environment – timing and location.
7. If coming out doesn’t go the way you expected, remember that it is not your fault. You and your identity are valid and deserve to be supported and accepted.
8. Be aware of resources available to you that you can access throughout the process (included in the guide below).

Here is the link to the full guide, which includes so much helpful information about coming out, healthy relationships, and resources to access: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Coming-Out-Handbook.pdf