What It Really Means To Come Out

Well, that's easy; right? Not always. There are many different ways to come out, different paths of life that we walk, and we need to realize that not everyone is able to come out. Coming out means that you stop living with this shield around your life hiding who you really are from the world. Be this through coming out as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-binary and so much more. Some people have a much easier time coming out because they have a much more advanced support network than others and live in safer environments. As much as we would like to believe that everyone has a safe place to live, they don't. Coming out can have some extremely harsh consequences that we don't always think about if we aren't in those shoes already.

Being Safe

Being Safe is the most important about when people come out is that they should be in a safe place, regardless of how you think it will go. People will have some crazy unpredictable reactions to the news. You have to remember, if you are coming out, you've been dealing with this for months, years, or your whole life. These people that you are coming out are dealing with this in a matter of a few minutes, and sometimes that means that they don't have an appropriate response or the response that they really mean to show. People act in very weird ways when you put them into situations that they aren't fully expecting. It's that old "Fight or Flight" response that we all have.

Allow Yourself Time

Coming out to everyone can be a huge step, and it's not one that is always entirely easy. I still haven't even been out publically a year yet, and I've known for sure for over 5 years now. There is absolutely no rush in being yourself, as you're going to be around for a long time. As was mentioned before, being safe is the most important thing that you can do for yourself. I remember that in the beginning I always made sure to tell one person, and I always found ways to find out how they would feel about it when I would come out to them. However, each time was still an anxiety filled adventure, and it was something that got easier to do; with time.

National Coming Out Day

As some of you know, National Coming Out Day was recent. Lots of people came out to their friends and families on that day, and some faced a lot of pressure to come out, even if they weren't fully ready. Some people aren't ready to live in the open, and that's okay. Things happen at their own pace, and it's amazing how many people used to come out without having the support and understanding that surrounds much of the country today. It's completely wonderful if people are able to come out to their families, but I've known several people that haven't been able to enjoy this privilege because they aren't in a wonderful place among their families or friends, and they are scared that coming out will make things worse for themselves, and sometimes this can ultimately be the case.