Hi

GayRoachGal.....Hello and a great big LGBTQIA+ welcome to Empty Closets! I can remember the first post that I made on EC. I was desperate for help and I got the help that night that I so needed. I hope that we can help you in the same way that I received help. The most important thing to remember about Empty Closets is that we do care about you! We're very glad that you found us here on EC and hope that we can answer questions, give you support and provide a place to vent (as long as it's not violent!) when that becomes necessary!

*****There are 18 different sub-forums here that you can check out and join in the conversations or start your own thread/conversation. In particular you may want to check out the forum that is titled "Coming Out Advice”, there are a lot of people there who have dealt with some of the same kind of issues that could be challenging you.

When you have made at least 10 posts on various threads you will be able to post messages on a member's Profile Page. Just click on a member's Avatar Picture and then click on "Profile Page" in the dialogue box that pops up. You'll then be on their Profile Page and there will be a box that says: "Write Something" When you have been on EC for a few weeks and have made at least 50 posts on various forums, you can apply for Full Membership. A Full Member can send Private Messages (PM) to other Full Members and share personal contact info. Right now you can only send a PM to a Staff Member as that is always possible. Here is a quote from the Full Membership information forum:

*****To be eligible you must be a member of Empty Closets for a minimum of two weeks, and have a minimum of 50 posts. These posts must be across numerous forums (Fun & Games does not contribute to post count), and consistently posted across a minimum of two weeks. You wouldn't be eligible, for example, if you registered, had no activity for two weeks, and then returned to post 50 times on your 14th day of membership.

*****Well, as I said, we're very glad you found us! If you have any questions at all, you can post a question on my Profile Page or send me a Private Message.

.....David

 

GayRoachGal.....I made this a second post because it would just be too long if I added this to what I wrote above. So here we go!
*****Coming out can be wonderful and terrible. Occasionally at the same time! Some important factors in deciding when to come out are:
*****Come out when YOU are ready. Don't let anyone push you into it if you are not at the place where coming out is right for you.
*****Don't come out if there is a real chance that you will be in danger. That includes being kicked out of your house, having no way to support yourself, having all privileges (phone, computer, friends, etc.) taken away, being verbally or emotionally abused as well as the danger of physical abuse. Waiting can be very difficult, but your safety and emotional well-being are more important. You are 13 years old...there is a long time until you are an adult. Even though waiting might be really difficult, living in a house where there is constant conflict because you came out and you parents did not accept it could easily be much worse. You have to make that decision and in many cases waiting for a while until you will be taken more seriously is a much better choice. I'm not saying that you have to wait, I just think that you should give it serious consideration. A lot depends on how you think your parents will handle your revelation.
*****Being out in middle school/high school is easier now than it used to be...but depending on your school and your relationship with other students, it can still be a problem. Try to evaluate these things and see what you seriously think about the results of coming out would be. Sometimes waiting...even when it is so difficult...is the only safe way to come out.
*****You might want to consider using a letter WHEN the time comes to tell your parents. A big plus to a letter is that you don't have to be present when the letter is read. That can be a very big help as it eliminates the potential face-to-face confrontation that can easily go bad. Coming out in writing means you will not be interrupted or face a barrage of questions that you need to answer immediately, in the heat of the moment. You get time and they get time too and that counts for a lot. It gives the people reading the letter some time to think before they talk to you. After all, you've had time to think about your sexuality, perhaps for years…giving them at least some time to think about it too only seems fair! There are some great sample coming out letters here on empty closets that could be a big help to you. Even if you don't eventually use the letter, taking the time to think about it and to write one will help you to be sure to say what you need to say and leave out the rest! You can then use the letter as a "script" for when you do come out face-to-face. Check out the letters (see below)...they could be a real help!
*****Also...when you do come out, whether it's tomorrow or a year from now, your parents and/or friends will probably have questions. Take some time now to think about what those questions might be. Such as; "How do you know you're gay?" or "How long have you felt this way?" etc. The questions themselves will vary a great deal dependent upon your family and friends...so take that into consideration. If you work up a list of five or six probable questions with the answers already planned, you will likely be perceived as a more mature, serious person.
*****COMING OUT LETTERS: http://emptyclosets.com/home/pages/resources/coming-out-letters.php
*****Remember...you are a part of our LGBTQ Family and we do care! Keep us updated on how things are going for you!

.....David

 

GayRoachGal..... Hey, thanks for the reply. I'm glad that you are out to most of your friends! You didn't say anything about your parents...so maybe what I sent to you will be helpful there. I am also a Christian. If you ever need information about why the Bible DOES NOT CONDEMN same-sex marriage, just let me know. I also have all the information you would ever need to deal with the six "Clobber Passages" in the Bible that are often used to condemn the LGBTQIA+ Community. If you ever need any of this, just let me know.
.....David :Gay_pride_flag:

 

GayRoachGal.....I've never heard about Jesus being gay. I'm sure that would set off most Christians into a Nuclear Explosion! Here is one really quick one for you...the Bible doesn't condemn same sex relationships/marriages as we know them today since they didn't exist at the time the Bible was written! That's pretty simple and straight forward. Most of the other "condemnations" are of ritual pagan sex in temples and had nothing to do with two same sex people who are in a loving relationship. The word "homosexual" wasn't invented until 1869 and wasn't used in a Bible translation until 1946. So was it ok to be homosexual before 1946? So many passages of Bible have been "adjusted" to match an already held belief, rather than changing the belief to match the Bible. Another interesting one that I only recently found: It is well known that King David when he was younger was a very close friend with Jonathan, King Saul's son. Many have said that they think the relationship was closer than "normal". Until recently I had not paid much attention to it until I found these verses: 1 Samuel 20:38-41:
*****38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
Most translations translate "exceeded" as David wept more (than Jonathan). However the Hebrew word has nothing...nothing to do with weeping. It basically means to become greater or to be larger. I don't think it takes a lot to figure out what happened to David after he and Jonathan were kissing. There are passages in the Bible that some people have found to be inconvenient, so they "fixed" the translations to make them more acceptable. It's sad, but it's unfortunately true. I'm not a conspiracy nut, even if it sounds a little like it! I hope some of this helps you. If you parents are serious Christians, please be careful with this information. It is true, but adults are not likely to accept it from you at this point in your life and it could cause problems. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
.....David

 

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