I'm 14, and I am gay. I want to come out, but I go to a British school with very homophobic students and I don't want to be bullied/beat up. From any openly gay people, how safe is it to come out?
I don't wish to seem challenging, but your question seems to be at odds with your post in the welcome area and the information on your profile. Are you a 14 year old attending a British school (in Great Britain) or are you a 21 year old living in the UAE? Can you explain why there is a discrepancy? Putting all of that to one side, I would caution any young person against coming out at school if they cannot be certain of the support of a large number of friends and staff. Some schools now have LGBT+ student groups and clear policies for dealing with discrimination and bullying, but if that doesn't apply at the school you attend and you are aware of a homophobic tendencies, it's probably best not to come out. As education is mandatory up to the age of 16 in Britain, a 14 year old could face two years of hostility and that's a lot to take at such a young age.
Hi Patrick! Just to clarify, I attend a British curriculum school in Dubai. Regarding my profile age, I have made it a habit to put my age older than i actually am on websites. My school has no such policies in place for LGBTQ youth, so I will try to stay closeted longer.
As good as coming out can be (as I'm finding out myself) I think dude's advice is sound and it's probably better to stay closeted for now.
