I'm honestly so so tempted to post a short little coming out status on fb. Just curious how it went for you, what your thoughts are looking back (what you would/wouldn't change etc), and ideas of what to say. I'm think of posting something maybe about 3 or 4 sentences, nothing much. Just have one more friend to come out to, then would post. I do have extended family on there that I was thinking of just hiding from being able to see it , although family is next on the list (and would just double check with a friend, just to make sure). If there's anything I'm overseeing lemme know.
Just in case you weren't aware, Facebook has a feature that allows you to see how specific people view your profile in case you wanted to test your privacy settings to hide it from your family for the time being. You seem to have a lot of momentum behind this right now so I really hope you push yourself to go through with it. Good luck!
I have yet to actually come out on facebook, but ive certainly hinted to it and answer honestly when asked. I would definitely make it short like you plan. Anything long winded on facebook gets reficuled or ignored
Thanks! Do you know how it works? Like if a mutual friend of somebody I've hidden it from comments on it, will the person I hid it from be able to see it?
Yeah, exactly. I also think it might look too dramatic or attention seeking if I made it super long lol
Yeah basically when posting a status update, you can click on the dropdown at the bottom (public, friends, and friends except...). Select friends except and select all the friends you don't want to see the update. And correct, they will NEVER see it. Here's a Help Center link: https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/
Good luck Privacy settings and sorting your friends into lists enables you to have a lot of control over what they can see. Just remember that screenshots can be taken of anything you post, comment or like on Facebook which would have your name and profile photo beside it. Don't let the fear of that stop you though if it is the right decision for you. It is an efficient way of letting everyone know what you want them to know, stopping rumours etc when you're in the situation of some people knowing and some not.
I waited to tell family before I posted anything since I didn't want them finding out that way. After that point I never really posted any official coming out post but started posting and liking more pro LGBT content. When I made a sappy one year anniversary post about my bf that was about as clear as could be so anyone who hadn't heard or figured it out by then would know. I'm always one to tell my family (mostly parents and sister and grandparents) major life stuff first. Of them only my sister is on Facebook. So I really don't want like other family going to them and being like "omg did you hear about what SemiCharmedLife posted on Facebook?" But that's just me
I'm with SemiCharmedLife. That's the way I did it. I told my family and close friends, and only then did I post anything on FB. You have other options as well: 1. Write a "coming out post" of some sort. Can be funny, serious, just matter-of-fact, or related to some event. 2. Share a "coming out" meme 3. Be brave and do a Facebook Live coming out 4. Change your FB profile to include your orientation 5. Change your FB profile pic to include an LGBT emblem or pride flag 6. Stop self-censoring in your comments, likes and shares. React to and share LGBT posts. 7. Join LGBT FB Groups and follow your local LGBT center's FB page Or do all of these if you're brave enough. That's what I've done. I've gone from "my lonely secret" to "loud and proud." Take care.
I want to be out to everybody except family first - honestly I think I need the support and validation from that to help me come out to my family. The latter is kinda a work in progress....I'm not really sure when or how I'm going to do that, but feel like thats in the imminent future too. I barely have any family on fb and would just hide the status form them. Everybody else I can't see can interaction between them and my parents at all lol. My relationship with my parents is pretty surface level only - sometimes it feels as though when I try to go a little deeper, they just shrug off my comments, which makes me feel like its a little less important that they know or find out from me. See, the problem is that this friend and I used to be good friends a few years ago (we went to school together). But then she ended up moving back home and now we rarely talk, although when we do, we have a few laughs. But because she lives so far away, that limits any non-text communication to skype only. A few days ago when we were planning to skype, I said I had things to get off my mind when we skype. Then I kinda vaguely said how I struggle organizing and clearly expressing my thought sometimes when talking and how text is nicer but much less personal. She agreed, but kinda sympathized. I was going to tell her last time we skyped (so yesterday), I was going to tell her. Guess the main reason was that I was just super nervous. Although, she always seems tired from working, and everytime we talk it feels like I'd be ruining because we talk so rarely. Her family is also strangely ever-present everytime we skype. I realize I'm just piling on the excuses now, but she's also an extreme 7th day adventist. Not in an "attack you if your different than me" mentality, but I'm worried that it'd be an "oh, thats fine" or "I don't agree with it, but okay" reaction. So because I threw away yesterday's chance, I'm not sure when the next time we will both be available to skype. She is literally the only person stopping me from posting it on fb. I just want it all off chest.
The important thing to me when comming out on social media was that it felt like me. I wanted it to reflect who I have become since I have accepted myself for being gay. I simply said "surprise. I'm gay" and posted up a youtube video of the song 'I'm comming out'. It just felt right and I was excited instead of nervous because I was like this is me, take me or leave me but I'm proud of who I am.I hope you get support and validation like you are hoping for <3
