Everyone needs to come out at their own time, or as I prefer to call it, let others in. When you do decide to let other people know of your sexual or gender identity, you may find that it feels overwhelming.
Most likely, you’ll also experience a lot of relief. While it can be challenging, it’s a great feeling to able to share your true self with those that you love.
Common Responses to Coming Out
Whether your parents are super tolerant or very conservative, coming out can be tough to do.
Luckily, many people have gone through this before you (myself included) and there are a few common types of responses for which you should be prepared, including but not limited to anger, denial, confusion, or ideally, love and support.
In a recent Twitter poll that I conducted that received 398 responses, the following results were collected.
Question for #LGBTQ+ people: When you came out to your parents, what was their immediate reaction? 🏳️🌈
(Please reshare if possible….my goal is share these insights with younger generations of our community. Thank you! 🙏🏽)
*Comments with details welcome too.
— Cade Hildreth | LGBTQ+ (@CadeHildreth) February 7, 2020
Thankfully, “Loving and Supportive” was the most common response at 33% of respondents, but when you combine the other responses, that also means that approximately 67% (2 out of 3) parents reacted with some element of anger, denial or confusion.
With this in mind, I would encourage you to read the comments in order to anticipate a diverse range of responses and learn from those who have walked this path before you.
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