Telling people about your sexuality is also known as “coming out”.
Realising and accepting who you are attracted to, or what gender you are is the first of several stages of coming out.
Coming out simply means telling someone about how you feel and who you are. Coming out at any age can be a challenging but also an amazing experience.
If you decide to “come out” think about who you might tell first. This should be someone you trust such as a close friend; family member or even a teacher so that they can support you. You should be prepared for some negative reactions ; understand this may be a difficult thing for some people to understand or come to terms with.
Ultimately there is no right or wrong way to come out, do it the way you want to and the way you feel comfortable.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, there are lesbian, gay, bisexual and Trans support organisations who are there to offer support and who have experience of helping people just like you.
Also just because someone may decide to come out to family or friends, doesn’t mean they have to come out to everyone. It’s quite common for people to be out in certain areas of their lives but not in others.
Some people find it helps to hear other people’s “coming out” stories or to talk to other people who have come out to help them work out how and when they want to do it. What is important is doing it in a way that feels right for you.
Watch this Childline video ‘Coming Out is a Journey’ for advice and to hear some LGBTQ+ people share their experiences.
For more information on coming out visit Childline.
For help and advice about coming out as a young person visit Stonewall.
