AMAA: Coming Out
ReachOut wishes our incredible LGBTIQA+ users a very Happy Pride Month. This month commemorates the mammoth drive, activism and power shown by members of our community. If you want to learn more about why we celebrate pride in the month of June here is an awesome article about it.
To mark the occasion we will be welcoming the community (that’s you!) to answer some questions about coming out. We will also be sharing our experiences.
So, that means this month you are the guests.
This chat we will be talking about coming out - the good, the awkward, the scary and the amazing parts of it. We’ll also be introducing the idea of “inviting in” as a way to go through this process in a way that feels safe and empowering to you.
Shoot your questions through to us using the form below:
We'll be doing this on the 30th of June from 7pm - 9pm.
Hope to see you there!
I get this so much, I didn't come out to myself until I was about 18 for mental health reasons. So valid and not often talked about!
I love that you said "come out to myself" - there is def a moment where you come out to yourself. I think that is the most important coming out moment 🙂
Haha yeah for sure! A lot of people 'just know', while others have to unlearn a lot of things to realise what they're feeling!
You have a really wise way of saying things. There's is defintely unlearning to do for some of us 🙂
I feel like I'll be 40 before I figure out who I am 😅 Nah but really it's can be an ✨ongoing process✨ right?
That makes complete sense. There isn't always space to figure out this stuff. The time will come when it's meant to!
But I mean it must be possible cause I know heaps of people with even more stuff going on who just *know* 😅 HOWW
Don't mind me lol I just went off on a bit of a tangential conversation with myself 🤣 Back to the questions!
The amazing thing is that you don't have to come out to everyone for your identity to be valid. You also don't have to work it all out to be part of the community 🙂 One step at a time 😊
I feel similarly. I feel like putting a label on what you are experiencing can help you understand yourself better, but it's not for everyone.
What is the best thing about coming out?
Accepting yourself for who you are and getting to be part of an awesome community if you choose to be a part of it. 🙂
Absolutely - I'd have to say being part of a community would be my favourite thing. I can't imagine my life without my community and network of LGBTIQA+ friends and family
I love how you can choose how much you want to get involved in the community. I personally like reading stories and experiences from other similar people. I also like wearing my pride colours. On the other hand, I don't really get involved in many events.
I REALLY want to experiment with pride colours but I'm too scared 🤣
What are three words to describe coming out?
ONGOING. It's really not just a one-time thing, you'll constantly have to come out to everyone your whole life.
Daunting. You can't really be certain how people could react.
Community. Coming out you can find community + live authentically!
I agree! Ongoing is totally accurate. You don't just come out once and that's it.
Absolutely. It can be a hard thing to come to terms with. Sometimes it won't feel nice to have to come out all the time - but sometimes you will be outing yourself to make sure fellow queers know you are one of them 😆
What are three words to describe coming out?
Scary, confusing, freeing
1000% scary was one of my words too. The good thing is that it is equally freeing as it is confusing/scary
Love those. Each of those reasonate with my coming out experience.
My words would be: life-changing, exciting and scary
