Hi! Sometime in the near future I plan to come out to my parents, but I don’t know how. I don’t really know what sexuality I am, but when I find out I think my parents should know. If I do end up having a relationship with the same gender, I feel like they should hear that I’m interested in that before actually getting together with someone. Here’s the problem; I’m pretty sure my parents are against LGBT. Last time I talked to them about political issues as a whole, my dad voiced his opinion towards the community and trans people in general (I’m not trans, but it was offensive) and it wasn’t pretty. My family as a whole is your typical white, Christian, Republican family and they’ve all voiced their opinion in the past about LGBT rights and even flipped out over me bringing a Love, Simon book to school, saying it would ruin my family’s Christian reputation. I’m pretty sure they’re skeptical of me being part of the community, because I’ve voiced my opinions on it and the music I listen to, books I read, and movies/TV shows I watch all point to me being apart of it, and they haven’t been so supportive. My questions are these; •How do I find out my parent’s current opinions on the community, without making it obvious that I am apart of the community? •Should I even come out to them, or should I just keep it a secret? Thanks in advance!
hiya payton! to figure out how your parents feel about the lgbt community, I would recommend bringing it up in conversation. say something like "my friend just told me he's gay, and i don't really know how to feel" and see how they react. also, you could ask a family friend or family member like a cousin that you trust about their views. as for coming out, I definitely think that you should figure out their views first before telling them anything, just for your safety. in the long run, it's totally up to you when you chose to come out and how, but just remember that your safety is the number one priority, not what anyone else thinks or should know about you. best of luck!
Sounds like you already know their views based on their previous comments. Its possible they might change when their own child comes out. Whether you come out to them is a personal choice based on different factors. I'm guessing at some point you'll date a guy and get into a relationship so by default they'll know then, unless you completely cut off contact with them or wait until they die.
