First Name: Ashley
Age: 18
Gender/Pronouns: Female
Sexuality: Lesbian
Region/Area: Dayton, OH
Race/Ethnicity: White
Overall, my experience was positive, but there were definitely some that really weren’t. The ones that weren’t positive were the ones that stuck the most.
First Name: Anonymous
Age: 20
Gender/Pronouns: –
Sexuality: Asexual
Region/Area: Cincinnati
Race/Ethnicity: White
Actually coming out for the first time went really well. I told my two best friends at the time over text, and they were both lovely and supportive, asking me how long I knew, telling me it was awesome, etc. Problems only came later when one of those friends would like low-key invalidate me when I came out to other people around her. I remember once I mentioned being ace to one of her friends, who straight up just replied “I don’t believe you” and instead of backing me up, my friend laughed and said “don’t worry, I think she’s just a lesbian in denial about it” so that was. really fun. Nowadays I have better friends and many of them are ace themselves so coming out has been very chill.
First Name: Mia
Age: 18
Gender/Pronouns: She/They
Sexuality: Gay/Lesbian
Region/Area: Kettering, OH
Race/Ethnicity: Chinese American
I grew up in a Catholic household. When I first came out it was to my mother. She didn’t react super badly but she also didn’t react very well. She would talk to me like I was “deciding” this and used to tell me she’d pray for me. (At that time I knew she meant pray for it to go away). For awhile, my mother never brought up relationships or sexuality with me. However, this year was the first time my mom finally accepted what I had told her and openly told me she loved me and would love whoever I loved. It was a really nice change of pace. However, that doesn’t erase the years of emotional stress she put on me. Growing up religious has made me very quiet about who I come out to. I’ve told a couple other people including my siblings and friends. They are all super accepting and supportive. (A lot of my friends identify as lgbt+ in some type of form so it’s not a surprise they were supportive). But yeah. That’s my overall experience with coming out.
First Name: Anonymous
Age: 18
Gender/Pronouns: Female
Sexuality: Queer
Region/Area: Eastern Kentucky
Race/Ethnicity: White
I never had any sort of formal coming out. The first person I told was a friend from summer camp; I think I was in the 8th grade. We were texting and I was like “hey btw I’m not straight.” I identified as bisexual for a few years, and the only people who knew were my friends from camp. I started going to a new high school junior year and I didn’t hide my sexuality. My best friend told me a few weeks ago how she knew I wasn’t straight. I had downloaded tinder and had both guys and girls on the app. So when she found out it was a very casual setting, I didn’t even say anything. With most of my other friends, I would say/do something kinda gay and they would say “oh you’re gay?” I would say yes and that was it. Later on, I clarified to my friends that I think a better term for me is queer, but I wasn’t really comfortable with labels. I haven’t told my family, but they are definitely suspicious.
First Name: Anonymous
Age: 18
Gender/Pronouns: Female
Sexuality: Queer
Region/Area: Central Ohio
Race/Ethnicity: White
The first time I came out to anyone was January of my senior year to my best friend. I went to a Christian school, so I had a lot of internalized homophobia that took years to overcome. I’m out to a lot of my friends now, but I still am not and never will be out to my family.