Demographics
First Name: Raychel
Age: 17
Gender/Pronouns: Nonbinary
Sexuality: Queer
Region/Area: Northern Kentucky
Race/Ethnicity: White
Story
I came out for the first time when I was 15, two years after I realized I was queer. I came out originally as bisexual to one of my best friends at the time, although now I identify as queer. The next person I came out to was my Spanish teacher, and then my older cousin. Just after I moved from my school in northern KY to my current school in Bowling Green, KY, I came out to several of my home school friends via my private story on Instagram. I never really had to come out as queer at my current school; I just lived as out. I came out for the first time as nonbinary in January 2020 when I was 16, about a year after I started consciously questioning my gender identity. I was at my current school but I called my cousin (same as mentioned before). The next person I came out to, in March 2020 (before being sent home for Covid), was one of my closest friends that I made at my current school. The third person I came out to was another trans person from my current school, which was refreshing. I came out to all of my close friends during quarantine, either through text or Instagram private story, to let them know that I’d be using they/them pronouns from then on. All of my coming out experiences (both as queer and as nonbinary) were either positive or neutral, although many people have struggled to get my pronouns right. Most of them are slowly but surely improving. I am out as nonbinary at my current school and use they/them pronouns here, except for with my teachers as I’m afraid they might be transphobic and treat me unfairly. I have not yet come out to my parents or any immediate family members / extended relatives besides the older cousin mentioned. I expect to get negative responses from my parents, but I believe they will come around eventually.