I've come out to a lot of people in my life. I'm very proud of my identity, and I've even had some incidents where I accidentally came out. In writing that article I came out to friends, family, acquaintances, past teachers, neighbors and complete strangers all over the world.

Since the last time I came out, I've been doing some self-reflection, some soul-searching, and I've been taking some time to really think about myself and my identity. I don't know why, but at the time when I came out, I just wanted a label for myself. Luckily for me, I was close.

I was always upset with stereotypes about being pan. I was often stereotyped as hypersexual (which is pretty funny, considering... well, you'll see), extremely loud, outgoing... basically, an extroverted person who would fuck anything that moves. Which wasn't me, at all. To start off, I can be very extroverted, but I'm an extroverted introvert-- meaning I thrive off small groups of people.

I soon realized that, not only am I not hypersexual, I'm demisexual. Meaning that I only have a physical attraction to people once I get to know them and gain an emotional connection to them. When I started realizing this I found it absolutely hilarious. For years I had been stereotyped as hypersexual, and now I'm about to be stereotyped as celibate.

When I started to question my identity again I was nervous. How would I come out... again? How would my family, friends, and loved ones take it? Would they question me? Would they question my identity, or would they accept me? After speaking with some family, a friend and my boyfriend it felt easier. I started to come out to more of my roommates, my close friends, and now here I am. Coming out to the world. Again.

I always thought of coming out as this huge thing. I always dreamed of the perfect way to come out to my family. I always imagined myself sitting at dinner with my entire family at some huge holiday (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) and the whole room going silent for a moment. I would look up at my sister who knew and take a deep breath, then I'd say it. I'd say it loud and proud, "I'm a little gay." Wine glasses would drop, people would stare, and hopefully at least one person would pass out.

That's not the case, though. Coming out doesn't have to be extravagant unless the person coming out wants it to be. It can be something as simple as sitting in the car on the way to the mall, through an Odyssey article, or it can be done through Hallmark cards, apparently. (My mom sent me a Snapchat of some "Coming Out" cards at CVS and I sadly didn't have time to screenshot it but it totally exists!) Or you can come out at Christmas dinner, whatever works for you.

You can come out multiple times! I always thought of it as ONE huge thing, meaning that I do it once and never again. But I come out almost every single day to all sorts of different people. In person and through my articles, which are gaining more and more views every day. I have come out to people I've never met before, and here I am. Doing it again. So here it goes:

Hi. My name is Kaitlynn Joy Bartley, I am 21 years old. I am panromantic and demisexual, and I'm proud.