Coming out is arguably one of the most difficult and awkward things you have to accomplish as a part of the LQBTQ+ community. You may be wondering why the task at hand is so difficult, and the answer to that is: Homophobes, most people over the age of 60, people who un-ironically watch FoxNews and parental figures. You usually have to find the perfect time and place to deliver the news, but that’s also impossible. To relieve the pain of your awkward coming-out stories, here are some anonymous narratives for some reassurance. 

The first story I received claims that the individual originally told their family that they were bi — which wasn’t accurate — and their mother didn’t take the news too well. A few months later they realized they were actually gay, and decided that the best time for them to come out again was as they were walking out the door to go run errands. They wrote “[i]t was funny to see the grandchildren fading in their eyes.” This person’s story has a happy ending, as they made a friend to help navigate them through being gay whom they now watch LGBTQ+ foreign drama stories with.

Another story entails someone coming out at the dinner table. They wrote that, after sitting silently through dinner, they suddenly decided to shout that they were bisexual. After doing so, they began to break down and cry into their bowl of rice. No one at the table understood what they had said and they were too emotional to repeat themselves. Thankfully, this person was later able to understand that they are lesbian and their family is very supportive!

Lastly, someone shared that they casually tried to come out to their dad but it got a bit quiet. They were discussing LGBTQ+ rights and mentioned how their friends and they were a part of the community. Their father just stared blankly at them and continued the conversation like nothing happened. 

To summarize, coming out is no cake walk, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from being themselves and liking whomever they please. It’s important to spread positivity and acceptance so that, one day, announcing you’re a part of the LGBTQ+ community won’t end up in awkward silence.