Unfortunately, my high school is rather conservative, and being the first openly gay couple wasn’t very easy. My girlfriend and I decided that while we wouldn’t shout from the rooftops, we also wouldn’t hide that we were dating. Coming out to my friends was one thing coming out to the rest of my high school was another. My honesty really strengthened our friendships, and their support became an invaluable resource for me for years to come. They all became completely comfortable with it in their eyes it was just part of who I was. Regardless of their initial reaction, all my friends eventually accepted me. I told my friends individually, and their responses varied from confused to unsurprised. I came out to three distinct groups: my friends, my school and lastly, my family. However, my strong feelings on the subject didn’t exactly prepare me for how difficult stepping out of “the closet” into the big, bright world would be or how deeply it would affect me and those around me. I also wasn’t comfortable with lying about who I was or who I loved.
I totally rejected the idea that I should hide how I felt, as if it was wrong or horrible. To me, coming out was all about being true to myself. I came out at 16, shortly after I discovered I was gay. Coming Out as Gay to Parents: 3 Parents Share Their Experience The Coming Out Process: Coming Out Stories From Gay Teens
