How long have you known?

This is a very tricky question for me, because in the back of my mind I've known for awhile, but here I am 18 years old and only just now realizing that I really am, and to embrace it. But to break it down, I've had interest and feelings since about age 10, but I never really thought about it like that. It wasn't until age 15 that I even considered it as a possibility, but somehow I convinced myself it was just a little fantasy and nothing I'd ever act on. But these feelings have grown stronger. By last year (age 17) I thought about it in a real way, but then I decided it would be a secret that I'd keep from everyone and maybe have a couple random experimenting flings. That didn't work for me either, so I just now , age 18, decided I am just as interested in men as women, and to make it public to my close friends/family.

 

since my first crush in prep school (elementary school) but I never accepted it until last year

 

I found out 3 years ago that I was no where near straight.

 

I've only found out/accepted being gay about 8 months ago, but looking back I could've known it 5-6 years earlier. Which would have made things so much easier right now

 

All along, but I was in denial because gays were considered badly in my family and in my catholic school.

I was repressing my feelings, thinking that I could successfully suppress these thoughts. I even had a girlfriend when I was 19. I stopped denying it at 20 and it took me 3 more years to tell my parents because I was so terrified being gay and scared to death of their reactions.

It's really hard when you grow up and everybody tells you that it's bad to be gay because you get to think that it's true.

 

I came to the realization about a year ago, but the signs were there at age 8 or 9. Homosexuality wasn't a topic of discussion in our house, and not because my parents forbade it, but because we probably weren't even aware it even existed. It's hard to say now whether I would have known earlier had we discussed this topic; I'm just glad that I know now, while I'm still young.