I don't know how to come out to my friends

That's not uncommon, to worry about how coming out will make things awkward. Although in most cases, people do adapt, I occasionally think about how so many did adapt in my case.

Of course, I don't know your friends, so I can't quite speak about them, but is there any specific reason you think they mightn't be receptive?

There are subtle ways of easing things in. Are you friends with them on Facebook? You could post a good news LGBT story, with a positive comment, and see how they react.

I do hope it works out well for you, for most people it does in the end!

 

Hey I'm happy for you to have the courage to come out to your friends Most of your friends if there true friends will accept your sexuality it dosen't change you your still that totally awesome girl they hang out With it might take them time to adapt to the situation just give it time and they Will accept you I'm sure

 

This is tough. I'd also like to be able to just slip it casually into conversation when the opportunity arises. Can you make a little joke of it?

"Hey Eolwen, what kind of men do you like?"
"Girl-men."
"What?"
"Actually? Just the girl part. No men."

 

Thats probably the best coming out joke I've ever heard!

It's hard to say it. I equate coming out to other moments in my life where I knew I had to do something really unpleasant, so I put it off. For me, that something unpleasant would be going to the dentist. I see the appointment is coming up, and I dread it more and more with each day leading up to it. Then I consider cancelling it. But eventually the morning comes, I wake up and drive there with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I get out of the car and open the door, and once the receptionist sees me I know I'm stuck there. It's just awful. But the moment the appointment is over, I walk out of there feeling so light and free, and I forget that I ever felt so awful.

Finding the courage is hard, but once you do it, you'll realize its not half as bad as you thought it would be! Chances are, your friends will respond positively. Even if some of them don't immediately, just give them some time to adjust to the idea. They'll come around. And if any of them don't? Well, I know you've heard it before, but they really don't deserve your friendship and you are much better off without them. It really is true.

Also, focus on owning your sexuality! It's something to be celebrated. One of my friends is gay, and she is so confident in the person that she is, she doesn't feel pressured to act a certain way, or to even bring up being gay. If it comes up then she doesn't deny it, but she doesn't make it into "the thing" that makes her who she is. Who she is as a person is many different things, and her sexuality is just one of them. Adopt that perspective, and coming out won't seem like such a life altering thing! It's simply one piece of the pie.