Who was the first LGBT person you knew in real life?

I didn't know it at the time, but my grandma had a friend who we'd go visit when I was a child, and he was gay. He lived with another man and everyone tried to shield me from this shocking knowledge by saying that the other man was his gardener or something. And he supposedly lived in the room at the back of the house... with no heat, with a mattress on the floor with no sheets or blankets on it... yeeeaaah.

 

My cousin, Caleb. I think he was technically the first since I've known him my entire life and he was my first best friend growing up. There's a four year age difference between us so we bonded a lot growing up. He's kinda responsible for turning me onto a lot of music back in the day. I think he got me turned me onto R&B more so, Like TLC and Aaliyah. I remember me and him crying our eyes out when Aaliyah passed. We adored her. He even gave me an Aaliyah CD of his and I wore that thing out, so much it cracked and became useless.

He came out as gay when he was 16, I was 12 at the time. And I found out through my younger cousins and I almost felt betrayed because he didn't tell me himself. Then again, I had to remember he lived in Virginia at the time and I was still in NC. But I knew from the start, of course I didn't know what being gay was as a child, but I knew he was. And I took after a lot of what he did. He liked the Spice Girls? So did I. He did cartwheels? I did too, not as good as him nonetheless, but I tried. He'd walk into the kitchen, I was right behind him. I looked up to him a lot and I still do. In fact, he was the very first family member I came out to. I remember him telling me he wasn't surprised. And I think it rekindled our childhood friendship that drifted apart as a result of us growing up. And of course he was very supportive. A couple of weeks ago, tension was high with my parents after I came out to them so he let me stay at his apartment with him for the weekend.

 

My mom worked with a gay guy. I met him once when I visited her work place but I had no idea at the time. I think the next person I met was at university. I was still way in the closet though, lol.

 

This girl who went to my school. Didn't know her that well, but she was open about her sexuality and most people knew.

 

I was. I've met one bisexual person 2 years after I figured out my sexuality, never met an openly transgender person

 

An ex-colleague. I didn't know until another colleague told me that she was dating a girl.

 

my best friend ever Jose

 

does online count? in that case it was the most amazing person in the world, Wes. but if you mean offline. then no, im entirely alone on that one

 

My Aunt! One day I wanted to know why my mom didn't like her and boom, just like that I found out. too bad my mom doesn't like her, I like her.

 

The first LGBT person I knew was a guy in my 5th grade class...I knew that he liked guys but he was held back a year or two so he was a bit older and I didn't really know what gay meant at that time

 

I don't really know....tbh. I want to say one of my cousins who is gay. But I think it might have been one of my friends from junior high or high school.

 

I'm guessing--but only guessing here--that it was me! :lol:

As for others... Who knows? I'm sure I've known many LGBT people without knowing the fact. As for people who I know are LGBT... There was one high school classmate whom I recognized--but really didn't--know. I had him in a class no later than fall of 9th grade, and may have had him classes in jr. high. I didn't know until recent years, however, that he was gay.

When in college, I had a professor who is, apparently, gay. Not sure if I knew that when I had him, however, but I certainly heard the early rumors during that year.