Wednesday 11-10-2023 - 09:29

Coming out is a deeply personal experience, it can be both liberating and terrifying. To celebrate National Coming Out Day (October 11th) I’m sharing my experiences being Pansexual and how I came out to my overprotective family. It is an emotional rollercoaster coming out, with the fear of social rejection, and navigating the landscape of LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the modern day. Still, the experience can provide you with a sense of vindication.

 

My Story

 

Coming from a working-class background with protective parents, I had always been somewhat scared about how my identity would be perceived by others. My identity had faced changes throughout the years as I began to question who I really was. The fear of social rejection is not unfounded everyone has a fear of being rejected. However, when you come from a marginalised group, this feeling can only be amplified as you realise that not everyone will accept you for who you are.

 

It wasn't exactly shocking when I came out to my parents; by the time I had voluntarily come out to them, they had long already coaxed the information about my being an LGBT youth from me. I found myself putting somewhat of a distance between myself and my family. I was accepted, but at the time I didn't feel comfortable with how I was accepted.

 

I feel like as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, we can often romanticise notions of how we wish to come out, saying ideas of how we wish we could come out in certain circumstances, but life never quite works out that way. I didn't come out under my own circumstances and while I wish I could change that, I can't. Coming out is a personal experience because it takes a lot of circumstances to be taken into consideration before you approach those around you. I didn't have time to prepare my family, but I wouldn't change my coming out. I wish it were under better circumstances, but the acceptance that I felt from my family meant that this memory was unbreakable to me.

 

Society in modern-day has become a lot more inclusive, there are still issues with acceptance, but it would be oblivious to say that no change has been made, because that would undermine the work that so many LGBTQ+ members have done to fight for their cause. The media is quick to judge those within the LGBTQ+ community whenever anything controversial happens because it helps them push a narrative, but the world will continue to progress and so will our views.

 

The media is getting more inclusive and I hope that with this progression, soon the world will stop targeting minority groups and we can live without fear, I hope that those who have come out, those who have yet to come out and everyone else in between finds comfort in the fact that you are not alone, you will never be alone.

 

I hope that if you ever feel judged for who you are, that you will be able to stand tall and have pride in who you are, because who you are is amazing.

 

LGBT Resources and Helplines

LGBT National Help Center:

Helpline: 1-888-843-4564

 

National LGBTQ+ Task Force

 

Trans Lifeline:

Helpline: 1-877-565-8860

 

Shout 85258

 

National Center for Transgender Equality

 

This blog was submitted by Sasha Feeney (LGBTQ+ Voluntary Officer)