Coming out is a continuing, sometimes lifelong, process. Some people are aware of their sexual identity at an early age, and others arrive at this awareness after many years. It happens in different ways and occurs at different ages for different people. Individuals do not move through the coming out process at the same speed. Even if it’s scary to think about coming out to others, sometimes the reward can be worth the challenge that coming out entails. You may find a whole community of people like you and feel supported and inspired. You may feel like you can finally be authentic and true to who you are. You may feel ashamed, isolated, and afraid.Īlthough coming out can be difficult, it can also be a very liberating and freeing process. Coming out involves facing societal responses and attitudes toward LGBTQ people. For gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons, there may be a sense of being different or of not fitting in to the roles expected of you by your family, friends, workplace or greater society. Our society strongly enforces codes of behavior regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, and most people receive the message that they must be heterosexual and act according to society’s definition of their gender. The first step usually involves coming out to yourself, often with a realization that feelings you’ve had for some time make sense if you can define them as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.Ĭoming out can be a very difficult process. Coming out can be a gradual process or one that is very sudden.
It involves both exploring your identity and sharing your identity with others. Coming out is a process of understanding, accepting, and valuing your sexual orientation/identity.