Parkes & Forbes Community Hub
Coming out
Am I gay?
That is a question only you can answer. It may take time to find out if you are interested romantically to the same gender.
Should I tell my friends and parents/carers that I am gay?
There are many things to consider and think about before coming out to your friends and family. This may include who do you want to tell, do you have someone who will support you and be positive about you coming out, are you ready to deal with negative reactions from people when telling them and have you considered what you might do if your parents do not support you when coming out for example. If you feel ready to tell your friends and family then have the chat with them about your sexuality.
What if my friends and family don’t believe im gay?
Sometimes people will be in denial as they are not ready to accept that their child or friend is not exactly who they thought they were. It may take some time for them to believe you. In the mean time you can still accept who you are without your friends and family agreeing with you or you could talk to a counsellor, support line or another adult or friend about being gay.
What if I am judged for being gay?
Unfortunately there are still people in our community who do not accept people who are gay and may make rude and offensive comments. If this is occurring talk to a teacher or school counsellor who will be able to provide support as well as possibly talk to the offender to stop the bullying.
For more information click on the links below.
http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=539
http://www.avert.org/coming-out.htm
http://gayteens.about.com/od/comingout/a/Coming_Out_Process.htm
http://au.reachout.com/wellbeing/personal-identity/sexuality
