February 13, 2021

Raine Jeff

Coming out is no small feat. It takes strength, courage, and hope. With constant pressure from the media, religion, family, and friends, it can be hard to figure out who you are and who you want to be. Here are some of Glasgow student’s coming out stories:

I identify as lesbian and figured out I was part of the community in 4th grade, because I was so young, coming out to myself wasn’t difficult because I didn’t realize at that time for me to like girls was not something every 4th-grade girl realized. I came out to my parents in 5th grade, and my mother told me it was a phase and that I’d get over it (I didn’t). Hearing that hurt me very much because it made me think I couldn’t trust her with the truth. I came back to her in 6th-grade and told her I still like girls and she finally accepted that I was telling the truth and not ‘going through a phase’. This school year I realized that I’m lesbian and my parents have been nothing but supportive.

Amy Telleria, a bisexual student at Glasgow, came out to her family and friends a year ago. When coming out to her family, she told her sister first, and her sister ended up coming out too. Her mother was flustered but ended up coming around. Her father told her she was confused, told her that it was a phase and that she didn’t know what was real at her age. When she was coming out to herself, she says she had a lot of internal homophobia and was trying to fight it. When she finally came to terms with her sexuality, she figured out this is who she is. When she meets new people, she makes sure they’re comfortable with her sexuality and if they aren’t, she knows being friends won’t work. The advice she wants to give to people contemplating coming out is: “Take your time and don’t feel rushed. Think about it yourself first and make sure you’re ready to love yourself”.

Anjali Murthy, a nonbinary and pansexual student at Glasgow, came out to their family and friends through mid-6th-grade to early 7th-grade. Anjali had an easier time coming out to their friends because their friends had already come out before them. Coming out to themselves was the hardest part of coming out because of preexisting anxiety and depression that went into override with this newfound identity. They tried to deny this identity by telling themselves a story that they just wanted a ‘cool narrative’ and they wanted attention, that they weren’t really part of the community. People told them they weren’t non-binary because they were ‘too’ feminine. The advice Anjali wants to give to people contemplating coming out is: “Keep your safety in mind but do express yourself in any way possible. You own your body and personality. If it’s not safe, do whatever makes you comfortable in safe environments, push the boundaries.”

The fact that you are ready to come out to your family or friends is already a big step! It can be tough to accept yourself for who you are, not only if you are part of the LGBTQ+ community but in general. 

Here is my advice to you: no matter what stage of life you are at when you decide to come out, make sure that you believe it’s okay because it is. This is a big step in your life, but in the end, it will make you feel way happier. Don’t hide out of fear or discomfort, show who you are and own it. You are exactly what you are meant to be and nothing should stop you from embracing that. So whether you decide to come out tonight or in 5 years, just know that there is no rush to love yourself, because love takes time.