We asked our readers and writers “Who was the first person you came out to and what was the response?” Their responses may bring heart into your life.
FINE… but I’m not…
DANIEL –
I told my best mate that I’m gay when I was 15. He said, “that’s fine, but I’m not” and that was the end of the discussion. We’re still great mates today. The best reaction I had to coming out was from a friend who shrugged her shoulders and said, “and…?” as if it was no big deal and she couldn’t care less. Really it shouldn’t be a big deal and we shouldn’t need to come out. Perhaps one day people won’t need to.
Out of my first day of a new job
ANDY
I told the woman I was working with on my first day at a new job. It was a fresh start and she had no preconceptions about me so it was easier to tell a stranger. I was 21 so kinda old to be coming out really. She wasn’t bothered so it was nice to be finally open about how I had been feeling for years.
My girlfriend did not take it well..
SEBASTIAN
My girlfriend – she destroyed her own bathroom.
Mother’s always know part 1
GLEN
I told my mum when I was 17 years old. Her response was , “I’m your Mother and I already know you are gay, any decent Mother would know her child”.
Mother’s always know part 2…
DARREN
My mum asked me. “Are you gay?” when I was 19. But I think most mothers already know.
I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.
GRAHAM
I guess the first person was myself. It took a while for me to be comfortable with that. The first people I then told was in the middle of an acting class whilst training at Drama School. The lesson was about getting your message across to an audience and the lecture was making people stand up and tell everyone something. He picked on me and so I stood up and came out with not too much thought about it. The room went quiet with little eye contact and I thought ‘what the hell have I just done’, but afterwards everyone kept coming up to say well done and that they were all proud of me. My sexuality wasn’t an issue for any of them and I’d never felt so free to be myself…
See Mothers do know…
MICHELLE
Trust me, mothers know, it’s the torture of waiting for your child to tell you that’s di cult, watching all that angst is heartbreaking.
