How long did you know before you came out?

I always thought I was straight before, but starting questioning my sexuality/thinking about girls around the time I turned 15... I talked about it the first time with my friend a couple weeks before I turned 16. I formally-ish "came out" to someone for the first time about 4 months later. Told friends slowly... Told my mom about a month before I turned 17. Pretty sure my grandma knows bc of things ive talked about. And here I am today.

 

About 14 months ago was when I accepted it. I knew for almost a year before that that something was wasn't quite right, I just wasn't very sure, or really sure at all what it was. I liked playing as girls in games so I could dress up and get attention from guys, and when my Femshep from Mass Effect had her first romance I got a look into the female perspective of a straight relationship... and both of those things combined together I think is what really set the course for the journey I'm on now and have been since I accepted my orientation and identity.

Coming out was the hard part. I was so giddy about it (I have a hard time keeping things bottled up) that I didn't really prepare for backlash or anything, I just kinda typed up a medium-sized facebook message for all my friends and told them everything. At first they were all like "oh yeah this doesn't change anything" blah blah but as time has went on I've realized they were bullshitting me. All but one have seemingly ditched me, but oh well. I told my elders later, and more carefully. My mom was totally cool with it, my dad was indifferent about it but has since come around to being okay with it. My dad's mom however did NOT take it lightly. She was... pissed to say the least. But she's from a different time so I gave her some slack... even though, in doing so, she pretty much jerked the rest of the rope out of my hand and left me with nothing. She has since eased up on it but still lectures me here and there about STDs and has even gone as far as telling me I'll never be pretty (with crossdressing). So, I'm like... okay whatever.

Anyway lol sorry looks like I made this too long... apologies

 

I knew from when I was like 11, so 6 years lol.

 

I thought I was Bi in when I was in high school, but I have only started to accept it now.

 

I knew that I was *different* from the time I was like 10-11. I knew that I was most likely gay from the age of 14 and on.

 

Always attracted to guys in grade school and high school but never really connected the feelings with an actual orientation. Had a mad crush on a college roommate and eventually put the pieces together and reluctantly toyed with the idea of coming out, but was so convinced that a wife and family were "normal" that I buried it all for decades. Or tried to. Obviously that worked out well.

 

I knew for a few years, probably two. I hated the fact I was gay so I just tried to ignore, but thankfully I had good mates and good family.

Very proud you were able to come out to your boyfriend, I hope you are okay and this is such a good step. Good luck, hope you are well.

 

It's great that you were able to come out to your boyfriend! That's a HUGE step.

You don't have to tell anyone why you broke up, it's not their business unless you want it to be... even if you broke up with him for reasons outside of your sexual orientation it's perfectly acceptable to just say "I don't really want to talk about it."

 

I was still questioning when I first came out. I think I was something like 49% sure I was actually bi when I came out to my friends, but I told them because I was tired of feeling confused and alone and keeping to myself, so I told them anyway.