Well, another update for you all. I don’t discuss my personal life at work but from comments from someone coworkers and customers, I know that it isn’t a secret. I certainly know most in my personal life are aware. My ex loves to tell people (and I am fine except when she embellishes, because it’s her story too.) and I post a lot of stuff on Facebook, and my bestie talks all the time about her and I finding us a couple of brothers, and I have blatantly made posts mentioning my journey as a gay man. Also, for 4 years at least my Facebook profile states that I am interested in Men. So I still struggle with anxiety of being out. So my therapist said that I am the judge of that information, but I thought, National Coming Out Day, I am going to do the big post…but I didn’t. HOWEVER, in the wee hours of the morning of 10/13/2021, I posted the big coming out post, and woke up to many wonderful, loving, affirming comments. Many people said they knew but were unsure of saying anything. It’s been such a freeing experience. I went to Pride that Saturday and took pictures with friends, and posted on Facebook. It’s been great. I have come a long way baby since since coming to this board 3+ years ago.
That's fantastic news! It seems that nearly everyone who takes that giant step is rewarded with lots of positive comments from friends and family... along with the inevitable "I knew...". Very often we're way more obvious to others than we realize.
WTF, (from a male perspective) you mean not ever dating a "girl" seriously, not ever living with a "girl" (yuk), not ever walking hand-in-hand with a "girl", (gives me the shivers), not ever marrying a "girl", (run for your life), I just don't see how anyone can figure out I'm gay!
For all of its faults (and there are many) Facebook does allow us to come out in an uninterrupted way to lots of people in a single moment and the many warm and kind responses we receive in reply can actually sway the opinion of those who might otherwise be indifferent or hostile towards us. When they see the support of others stacking up, few people will wish to stand alone outside the circle. They have to face facts and decide to come into the warmth themselves or feel like an outsider?
I haven’t taken that step yet, but my closest friends and family all now know about my struggles this last few years. I don’t think it will be long before I take that step, a lot of my “friends” on FB haven’t seen me for years so I guess it’s those ones that I am not out to yet. I have been telling people close to me for last couple of months and I am honestly sick of explaining the story so a FB announcement kind of does everything and everyone left. Thanks for posting, I hadn’t thought about the positive response dragging along the negative .. x
Thank you LostinDaydreams. It seems like we were both new here around the same time and look how far we’ve come
Yes! I do remember your supportive replies to my threads at a time when everything felt hopeless. It was possible after all! It’s really lovely to see how far you’ve come too.
