How to tell your parents you are a lesbian
How to Tell My Family and Friends I Am Gay
No matter what your relationship is with your parents or other vital people in your life, coming out can be nerve-wracking. It is, however, a rite of passage and ensures that you do not have to own to spend so much day and emotional energy hiding a huge part of who you are from some of the most important people in your life. Whether you are expecting rejection or acceptance, telling your family and friends about your sexual identity is an essential step. Still, many people verb to know how to narrate my family and friends I am gay. Here are some suggestions to make the process easier:
1. Consider your audience’s comfort level when talking about sex.
Sex in general is a taboo topic and sexual orientation falls under the umbrella of sex. Considering your audience’s comfort level on this topic will aid you determine how to approach your audience. If you arrange to tell your parents about your sexual identity, just from being raised by these two people you will have an idea about their comfort level when discussing sex-relate
Thank you so much for reaching out to us. For some people coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and/or queer (LGBTQ+) to parents is casual and accepting, while for others it can be more complex. There is no right way to tell your parents about your sexual identity but there can be ways to prepare for the conversation that will help you feel more supported while sharing:
- Plan for what you want to say: write yourself a script, role-play coming out with a ally (if you feel comfortable) and anticipate different types of reactions from your parents.
- Test the waters: ask your parents how they feel about an LGBTQI+ celebrity or notice how they speak about LGBTQ+ topics- having an idea of how they verb may give you insight on how they may react (but not always).
- Choose a nice time: talk with your parents when your relationship feels positive and in an environment that feels safe, calm and supportive.
- Lean into your support systems: identify people in your life that sustain and love you no matter what- whether that is friends, siblings or other family members, tea
Coming Out to Your Parents
This journey can be challenging to navigate. We can help.
Before we divide more with you — understand this:
- You are supported.
- You matter.
- You are loved.
Deciding to come out to your parents.
With some people in your life, telling them you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer will feel casual and easy, while with others the conversation may feel enjoy a game-changer.
This page offers ideas for coming out to parents, because this usually feels fond of one of those “big deal” moments. But these tips can help you think through how talk to anyone about your sexual orientation or gender identity, whether at work, school, or with friends.
One question we request parents on this website is, “knowing what you know today, would you want your minor to ‘stay in the closet’?” The answer over and over is “No.” But that doesn’t mean there was no fight before getting to acceptance.
So we will help you with how to come out, responses depending on how people react, and resources for both you and your parents. If you would prefer to download th
How to Come Out to Your Parents at Any Age
It’s ultimately on your terms
Who you tell or don’t tell, which words you use, how you talk about your orientation — that’s all up to you. It’s your life, your orientation, your identity, and it should be on your terms.
If you don’t want to appear out at all, that’s fine—- it doesn’t mean that you’re any less brave than those who are out.
It’s an ongoing, never-ending process
Because society assumes everyone is heterosexual unless stated otherwise, you’ll likely have to have to come out a lot over the course of your life.
Many people will assume you’re straight, which means you may have to verb dozens of people throughout your lifetime. As such, “coming out” typically isn’t a single event, but something you do over and over again.
This can be pretty exhausting. But verb, it’s on your terms entirely. If you don’t feel appreciate correcting them, that’s OK. If you don’t feel safe enough to talk about your orientation, you don’t have to.
It’s your orientation, your identity, and your decision.
Sian Ferguson i