To be perfectly honest, coming out hasn't been the very most pleasant experience for me. The first person I came out to, I did everything all wrong. I was a senior in High School (in early 1999) and it was the girl I was madly in love with. As it turned out, she was a total homophobe. I came out to her in a letter, telling her exactly how I felt for her, and she wrote me a very nasty letter in return, telling me, basically, that we were no longer friends (we had been practically best friends, and did everything together), that I was a terrible person and a huge sinner, and to stay away from her "or else!" I was so completely crushed! It doesn't really sound all too pleasant, but believe me, I felt SO much better after having told someone the "truth"--even with that reaction!
Coming Out to "Everyone Else"
Not only did she never speak to me again after that, but she also told me to stay away from any and all of our mutual friends. She said she was going to tell a whole ton of people and show them the letter I'd written her, and that if I didn't stay away from her she'd be "forced to" tell all our friends at school as well.... Not wanting to be involuntarily outed, and not thinking that my friends should have to hear something like that from HER, in the next two days, I came out to nearly every one of my high school friends. All of them were so supportive and accepting of me, that Janie (the girl I came out to first) often ended up sitting alone at lunch after that, because even though my friends invited her over with us, she wouldn't have anything to do with anyone who was still friends with me (which was everyone but her!).
Come Out To Family
Next I came out to my mom.. Or rather, she outed me. She found some letters I'd written to penpals while snooping through my room and confronted me about them, so I was forced to tell her. She wasn't really as supportive as I would have hoped... and all teary and upset. She also forbade me from telling my dad or my grandma--EVER! I haven't told them yet, which probably is the wisest thing, anyhow. My mom is still the only one in my family who knows.
A Whole New Meaning to "Coming Out"
After graduation, I learned the truth in the saying: "coming out is a continuous process" when I moved in with a bunch of college roommates, including a good friends I'd known from outside of school. It was really tough for me to have them not know, so I came out to my friend, to test the water. Although she was kind, she, being a religious (sorry Lizzy) fanatic, made me go and talk to some religious leaders who really wrecked my self-image and made my life a complete disaster. If I thought it was bad (not to mention HUMILIATING!!) after coming out to Liz, I could not even *conceive* what was to come when I came out to the rest of my roommates....
To summarize: life became a living hell after I told my other roommates. Well, one in particular. Every, single little thing I did after that was horrible to this particular roommate, and I don't even want to MENTION all the stuff she did to make my life horrible in her homophobia.
Here and Now
This year, I have a mostly-new set of roommates, so the process begins again... Ahhh! j/k I haven't decided if I have the guts to tell them. Not that I'm not sure that they could figure it out on their own.... <wink, wink, nudge, nudge>
Okay, that's my story.. If you have an interesting coming out story, or need help or tips on coming out... Anyways! That's it ;)