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since i’m still really young and somewhat closeted, there’s not a ton that i can do, but i try everyday to make someone else smile. i make sure that my friends know they’re valid and that how they feel is valid. i make sure they know they’re loved. coming to the realization that i was gay was pretty difficult. especially because i’ve grown up christian, so i just assumed that i should be homophobic because that’s how it works, right? it wasn’t until i hit middle school that i realized that just because i’m christian i don’t have to be homophobic. my friends started coming out to me and i realized that it doesn’t matter that they’re gay because i still love them and being gay hasn’t changed who they are. it’s just given them more confidence and that’s beautiful! by seeing how confident my friends were in coming out and just being themselves, it gave me the courage to explore my queerness. there was a lot of internalized homophobia which made it difficult to to finally just say to myself that i don’t like boys. but eventually, i got there. coming out to my friends was pretty easy since most of my friends were already out to me. the friends i was really anxious to come out to we’re my church friends. i could’ve chosen to just stay in the closet and hide part of me from them, but the more i tried to hide it, the harder it became to be around them. and not being around them really hurt because they’re some of my BEST friends! so one day, i decided to just go for it. i told all of them individually and to my surprise, they were ok with it! they know i’m gay and they still love me! they put up with my stupid gay jokes and all of my weird hand gestures. i am so lucky to have friends like them and i realize that not everyone is this lucky, but if you’re struggling to come out, or you want to come out but you’re not sure of your label yet, this is my advice to you: you don’t need a label to be valid. wait until you’re ready. don’t force yourself out of the closet. wait until you’re sure you’re ready. you don’t have to tell everyone all at once. you can pick just a few people or even just one person to come out to. if that person/those people don’t accept you at first, give them time. think about how long it took you to accept yourself! if they say that they can never accept you, i know it hurts, but remember that there is an ENTIRE COMMUNITY right here who is ready to accept and love you for exactly who you are! for all of my christen queer folks, i know that people often say “jesus said that being gay is wrong” or “being gay is a sin”, but that’s not true. jesus never ONCE said that being is wrong. your sexuality is NOT a sin, but even if it was, god says that all sins are equal! and jesus died FOR our sins! so that they may be forgiven!! you can be queer and christen. god still loves you! (i know this was really long. sorry) i hope this made you smile and/or gave you validation.
My coming-out story is a loooong journey. I first faced my homosexuality when I was 18. I’d left my family-nest to pursue my studies, and it really was the first time I was left alone with myself. It became a journey, during which I discovered myself entirely. And I met that one girl. She was gay, and I completely fell for her. That moment was the starting point of a really long thinking about my sexuality and myself in general. Each step was full of sadness and pain … but also full of joy. It took me 6 months to tell my closest friends about being in love with a woman. More than a year to completely accept and embrace my homosexuality. But the hardest part was telling my family. I’m really close to them, we share everything and love each other so fucking much. Taking the risk to lose all of this by telling them my truth, it was unimaginable for me. So I kept it inside of me for 4 (very long) years. The thing is, I was exhausted. Exhausted of lying to the ones I love, of hiding my feelings and a huge part of my life. That is why, on January 1st 2019, I confessed to my family about my homosexuality. And, damn it, all the feedbacks I received were full of love and acceptance. I was scared of crying because they would reject me. Instead, I cried only tears of joy because they accepted me. Whole of me. Nowadays, I’m a very happy 24 years-old gay AF woman. M. From France.
CONTENT WARNING: THIS COMING OUT STORY CONTAINS DESCRIPTION AND/OR DISCUSSION ABOUT SELF-HARMING BEHAVIOR AND SUICIDE.
My name is Lauren. I’m a 24 year old disabled woman from the United States. If you’re taking the time to read my story, thank you. I hope something I’ve written encourages you.
I am a Lesbian.
Yes, you read that correctly. I’m disabled and a lesbian.
No big deal, right? Wrong!
Don’t get me wrong, I love being lesbian and loving who I wish. It wasn’t always that easy though. Due to a conservative Christian, non denominational church background I grew up from day one believing I must be straight. My parents made comments about my getting married to a dude and having children so many times I lost track. Every time they did, something inside me broke a little more, until….
I dated a woman in secret while living with my parents. It was a long distance and we never managed to meet in person and the relationship ultimately ended, but during that time I learned so much about myself. I became much more confident in myself as a person and as a Lesbian.
Ultimately, my parents and I clashed over religious views among other things. I was invited to leave their home and I did. Though I still attended church with them
October of 2019 – I’d been wanting to leave the church for a long time as I felt it was no longer for me. I texted my mother to inform her I was no longer interested in attending church. She replied that she was disappointed and heartbroken. My father’s reaction was similar, but I’d expected it.
Since moving into my own place and telling my parents I was no longer attending church, I’ve felt so much freer to express myself and be who I am. Although, before all that I attempted suicide twice before ultimately embracing every part of who I am. I know in my heart that my parents and conservative friends that I grew up with will never approve of my being a Lesbian. (That’s why I haven’t told them) After 20+ years of a religious upbringing I know that to tell some people who I am would only lead to arguments and hurt feelings.
For every hardship there’s a rainbow at the end of it all.
I’ve found this community within the last year or so as well as an extremely supportive Discord community that has welcomed me with open arms. I feel stronger, kinder, and better, overall then I ever have before in my life. Throughout my journey, I have met so many amazing, loving humans and I am grateful for every single one.
Was it hard?
Absolutely!
Do I wish my story were different?
No.
If I hadn’t gone through everything that I have I don’t think I’d be the person I am today. I don’t think I’d even be sitting here writing this, and hoping that it makes a difference to you, dear reader. I’m grateful to be me. I am grateful to be alive. I am grateful for everyone reading this.
If I can leave you with one lesson, it would be this, be GRATEFUL for who you are and where you’ve come from. No matter what your background is, no matter how dark or challenging it may seem right now.
IT WILL GET BETTER!
One day, you may share your coming out story with people, as I have done here! Be grateful for who you are, because someday your story may mean the world to someone else who is struggling with their sexuality. When you share your story to help someone else, they will be grateful, even for a moment, for your existence. They will spread that gratitude and courage to others.
Let’s build a better, more grateful, inclusive world one rainbow at a time!
I am sorry if this isn’t what you are looking for and it may not be appropriate for this format but this was the only place I felt comfortable to send this in. This is a small part of my journey and a part that I found not many people openly discuss including myself but I feel its a very part of my ongoing journey.
Confidence……Sexual confidence
Some will admit this, some will lie and some just flat out refuse to talk about it. I annoyingly fall into later category. Sex is important, sex is a large part of our lives, whether we are not having any, too much, not enough, average sex or the best sex of lives. The thoughts about sex are never from far our minds. The real difference is between those who discuss it and those who don’t, its not the quantity or quality, its confidence.
Sexual confidence is not always based on how good you are or think you are its about how feel when you discuss it, if you discuss it at all.
Recently, although not really that recently I have come out and been working through the many phases of becoming comfortable with my new found normal and who I am. I am ashamed to admit that although I have seen many come out before me I never really understood what it meant. That it changes everything, its like hitting reset when your are already halfway through the game. Everything about who you are and the lessons you have learnt and comforts that you have afford yourself are all thrown away. The toughest part is that unlike when you go through this crucial stage of life in your teens most people have already completed these levels and moved on, leaving you behind, constantly both reminding you of the challenges you have ahead and making you feel intimidated at the same time. I have been working through these phases and I haven’t been able to let someone (the person I trust the most in the world) really help me. This has bothered me because why can’t Iet her help me? Why do I feel that I have to do this alone? Why? These were questions I could not answer and it felt like I was in canoe unable to paddle on both sides, around and around I go but never progress up stream. It wasn’t until I was given ‘homework’ from a stranger whom I sought out to help me find a way to paddle on both sides that I realised why.
The stranger challenged me to have fun with it. To have fun with my sexuality. Fun! Really?! Sure no worries, I will get right onto that…..quick question how do I do that?
Everyone loves fun right? We have been doing it since we were kids, the laughter that comes with fun is one of the first sounds we make as babies which is associated with a smile. And yet here I am a 28 year old woman who doesn’t know how to find one of the most fundamental things in life. I sat and thought about this, I went through my life like a rolodex flagging the cards that provided me with smiles and laughter. Fun! I thought about those moments, they included my friends, family and activities that I was good at. Although they were all different there was one commonality in all of them. Confidence.
With my friends I was confident in who I was, confident in the people around me, the people that I had chosen to spend my time with.
Activities I was confident because I was good at was I was doing. I knew I could do it and had a sense of achievement, accomplishment and value in that field.
Family I was confident with them, they have known me for my entire life and in the kids case for their entire lives. Family is a little different because my confidence ebbs and flows with them, sometimes in rare fleeting moments I am at complete ease and find myself smiling just because and in other moments I find myself withdrawing. Withdrawing because I sense unease with who I am and what I stand for. As is the case in most families although we are the same we are very different and this can be attributed to our life choices and paths we have taken. In my family I am alone, I am alone in many ways. My career, my sports, my friends, my locality, my relationship status and…… my sexual orientation. I grew up in a family that replaced hugs and emotional support with sarcasm and sport. I felt this worked until I discovered I was different. Until I worked out that the sarcasm and sport left with me void and sense of loneliness. I sought comfort in tried to fill that void with the other parts of my life that gave me fun; activities and friends.
I moved through my teens and into my early 20’s slowly finding my own path and in doing so I realised that there was people out there who provided love and support to each other. One problem, I didn’t know how to accept or reciprocate it. I did what I knew, I stuck with my sarcasm (which I am rather accomplished at) and developed a somewhat charming manner (modest I know) that made people feel comfortable around me. They were free of judgement and could have a laugh. I built their confidence but in doing so I neglected mine. We would discuss their work, their friendships, their relationships and in turn their sex lives. I was and still am happy to discuss it all with them and even their sex lives but only if they didn’t discuss mine.
WHY?
I enjoy it, I have never had any complaints about it so I must be ok at it so why can’t I talk about it? I get physically uncomfortable and tense up. And now, I cant even have any fun with it. If I indulge myself there is an seem secrecy required and at times bordering on shame.
That strangers home work continued circle around and around in my brain like that bloody canoe.
Then it hit me, confidence, whether it be sexual or otherwise stems from conversation. A sense of comfort and support to have those conversations. Unsurprisingly in a family based on sarcasm and sport open conversations were made in jest not to mention they were few and far between. When they did happen it was uncomfortable and glazed over as soon as humanly possible. I never had discussions around relationships with my siblings let alone conversations about sex. We would sit around the dinner table a joke would be made that would from time to time turn sexual in its nature, we would each jump on it, stacking on each others previous one liner, Dad would just look down and continue eating, Mum with shake her head attempting to stifle a giggle and tell us all to stop.
The was it.
No more discussion, nothing to normalise it not even between siblings. I remember when I was dating a guy and I got the implant contraceptive rod, it was the same time as my sister in laws hens day. My entire family had come together and my second eldest brother saw the bandage that was wrapped around my left bicep. He straight up questioned me in front of everyone; other siblings, in-laws and parents about why I needed it. I got uncomfortable, made a quick retort and withdrew to the corner of the room as my brother made jokes about having never met this guy and reference his skills with a cricket bat. But don’t worry it was over quickly as the footy was on Tv. I am pretty certain that is the only time any of my relationships have been discussed.
Over the years I developed a core group of friends where we would have numerous wide ranging conversations that developed a comfort and support system for me. As that friendship circle tightened we all assumed our various roles and they worked out what I could and could not discuss. They wouldn’t push unless the perfect storm struck were we were drunk and they honestly worried about me. Their questions came from a place of love and support and I was finally able to start to have these conversations and built the associated confidence. I felt like I was building a level of confidence that I was happy with but then things changed.
With increased confidence came an increased sense of self. It was then that disaster struck, I knew I was different. Different from my family and friends. All of a sudden that confidence was gone, I was back to square one.
This sense of disconnection from my family and friends left me feeling like a lone wolf, fighting through the paralysing self doubt, fear and unknown. Not knowing if it would ever stop, the sense of trying to survive the arrows bombarding me from all directions because there was no shelter in sight. And just spice things up a ‘fun’ side affect of rewriting of who you are is anxiety because everything had be reconfigured and required conversations that had previously never been considered.
Square one has forced me to look inwards and have some honest and uncomfortable conversations with myself about my inadequacies and my strengths. Through this I have identified different areas of my life and the associated challenges. I had broken them down into bite sized pieces and slowly consumed them. Now I am back to the same issue that plagued me in my 20’s. Sexual confidence. The only difference now is that my family don’t even know how to make the jokes about it but in fairness I haven’t changed in the fact that i still can’t have the conversation, even in jest.
Request of fun can only be fulfilled once I have sexual confidence to enjoy it again. I have identified why I have this deficient in my personality. I am trying to re-program my brain that sex and relationships are not a taboo topic and that is something everyone does, thinks and fantasises about including me. Relationships and sex are meant to be fun.
Now, how do move out my own insecurities long enough to enjoy it? To find fun?
I knew I truly liked girls at the age of fifteen (I’m a 28-year-old woman now). How did I know? Well.. I was looking at my favourite poster.. and there she was, Avril Lavigne was pinned on my bedroom wall and there was me thinking “f*ck. I’m in love with you and how the hell are we going to meet?”. Don’t judge me.. come on! I was young and she was a hot skater girl! (she still is hehe). Anyways, that is how my story started.
I can’t complain because I’m aware of how lucky I’ve been during the process. To start, I came along with a girl in high school (just friends) who told me she was lesbian so she had to face the barrage of questions I threw out to her (bless her) to make sure that I wasn’t going through a “phase” of feeling homosexual. She helped me a lot. My dilema in that moment of my life was that I felt attracted to boys as well as girls so.. was I bisexual? Interestingly, I couldn’t imagine myself having a long-term relationship with a boy but I had really romantic ideas when thinking of girls.. (I’ve done spectacular romantic things by the way). I tried to find a label capable to represent me but I couldn’t so I honestly thought; “What the hell, the “label” is ME and if you don’t like it you know where the door is”.
I think that is the point of all this. From my experience, you attract your fears. There is a simple and real personal example (you are allowed to laugh, I know it is a bit ridiculous). I have selacophobia (shark phobia). Okay, I wanted to sound intellectual so I looked up the proper noun and I just pooped myself because there were pictures of sharks next to the definition (not funny). Anyways, due to my selacophobia I see sharks everywhere; people wearing shirts with sharks stumped on them, TV advertisements where in order to sell pills they show a shark swimming (why?? I mean..why??), and a large etc. This situation can be extrapolated to all of your life experiences. If you are scared of people because you think they may be judging you just because you are not “traditional” you will come across with people thinking that way. You have the power to attract whatever you want so be yourself. Mum told me once something really wise; “When you discuss something in front of an audience, 50% of them will agree with you and the other 50% won’t. Therefore, be yourself and you will be surrounded by those thinking the same as you do”.
Going back to the thread of the conversation, there is an important topic to be discussed; Parents. Here comes when everything got complicated. I experienced two very different reactions (my parents are not together).
Conversation with my dad: (In the car. He was driving.) Me: Daddy. My dad: Tell me. Me: I’ve got to tell you something important. My dad: What is it? Me: … yeah well… My dad: … Me: You like women, do you? My dad: Yes. Why? Me: Me too. My dad: Oh. And are you happy? Me: I really am. My dad: Me too then. (Simple and easy. Men style.)
On the other hand, it was completely different with mum. She caught me sneaking out with a girl (everyone knows mothers have superpowers). It was a difficult time for both of us. She loves me so much that she was scared of me being hurt. From her life experiences she knows that there are violent people whose ideals are completely radical regarding the freedom of love. I remember my mum crying in front of me, apologising because deep inside her she wanted to accept the situation without shame, she wanted to understand me but she couldn’t. Seeing your mum hurting that much breaks you heart into million pieces. Then I realised what I had to do. If I wanted her to truly accept me, I had to accept that she needed to fit all that emotions into her heart and I had to comprehend her worries so I told her that it was okay, that we would make it through no matter how long it would take. Time did its job though and now she is completely okay with it so do not give up on people! Everyone has their own odyssey so try to not rush others’ processes.
I know it is hard and sad thinking someday your parents will be gone, that friends come and go but there you are. You’ve got yourself and that is forever. You have to take care of your heart and soul. Good news are that the sooner you do it, the sooner will come the day you will get up and realise how strong and authentic you’ve become. And I’m sure that people around you will be there because they love see you being you.
When I was only eight I realized that I liked girls, I didn’t understand the world like I do now and I didn’t know homophobia in it self. So I told my friends when I was something like 9. At the young age of eleven I decided to tell my mother of what I forced myself to be bisexuality, thinking that if she did not accept my homosexuality she wouldn’t be so mad. I am extremely lucky to be in a very understanding and open minded family. My mom said she was very proud of me to have the courage to speak my truth and to know who I was and accept it at only 11. At about twelve a girl in my class literally screamed that I was gay. I thought I was ready and whenever I would come out to one of my friends, it would this time be as lesbian. For two years I was bullied. I started having panic attacks everyday and I didn’t want to go to school anymore. When it became to overwhelming I thought about hurting myself (and I sometimes still do)… I did once or twice but nothing”extra”. At that point my dad knew I was gay and he helped like my sister who is, herself, an asexual biromantic. I had my friends and family to relate on and went to see a therapist. I’m now better and help a lot of my queer friends come out and know that it ok to be who we are and that we shouldn’t be ashamed. For a while I thought I was genderfluid and soon I realized that I felt like using they/them pronouns all the time. It felt right. Although it wasn’t easy understanding the gender confusion I was going threw, people were there and they had my back. I felt safe. I now use the term non binary/genderqueer and the pronouns they/them & she/her. All of that said I am only going to turn 15 in a few months and I still have a lot to learn and emotions to go threw. I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by open minded people. I know some don’t have that particular luxury. And I want to do everything in power to help them.
I hope my story will make a difference somehow. Love and know that you are not alone.
It never completely dawned on me that it wasn’t socially ‘normal’. Both my parents had never shown a liking to the community but never expressed directly that they hated it either. We moved house a lot when I was younger cause of their work, so I got to see so many different cultures and ways of living.
I first got the impression that I was (in some ways) different when I was in secondary school. My favourite teacher did an assembly on LGBTQ+ topic, and ended it by coming out (subtly). A few months later I was questioning her on all things GAY! How to know if I was gay, if other people could tell etc. I ended up coming out as lesbian in year 9, and from then I noticed an increase in my confidence and self-respect. Most of my friend were extremely supportive giving me even more reasons to be proud.
I came out to my parents a month ago, 2 years after my first big announcement. I was only able to do this because of my amazing teacher guiding me through the hate crowd we call a society. She is the reason I can stand up to people and admit that I am a lesbian.
I want this to show that support and knowledge about LGBTQ+ matters and can make someone change from a nervous 11 year old with a stutter to a strong(ish) 16 year old.
I haven’t had a long battle with my sexuality and sometimes I am told that I’m not ‘old enough’ to know what I want. BUT I am proud of me and my community 🙂
Being queer is something I have always been. But before I discovered this gorgeous term, I just always said to myself, “I’m me, and that’s it”.
Before I knew I was gay, I didn’t know much about labels. Growing up, I never saw the benefits of placing myself into categories. It felt too forced as if I wasn’t given a choice in the matter.
Ever since I remember, I have always been drawn to women. When I was a child, I had no understanding of attraction but throughout these years, whenever I watched something on TV or socialised with others, it was other girls who I felt pulled towards.
Willow from Buffy, Root from Person of Interest to Rose from Doctor Who, I had multiple fangirl obsessions. But because of the society that we live in, heteronormativity dominated the classroom and playground.
All of the other girls appeared to only like boys whereas I only saw them as friends or even brothers. Amongst the confusion, I kept saying to myself, “well, I’m just me” and that’s okay. Yet I didn’t talk about my feelings to my family. I was too scared.
Skipping ahead to 2016, I was off to university and at this point, I knew more about the LGBTQ+ community and sexuality. But I still didn’t ask myself where I fit in the rainbow spectrum.
Looking back, I was in denial.
I kept remembering moments where I had friends who were boys. When they said they wanted to be my boyfriend, I knew in my gut that I never wanted it to happen. But then I thought, it might just be these boys you don’t like, you might like others
So as I got older, I remembered men that I had met at social gatherings and went through the same process. I tried to picture myself being intimate with them. It felt so wrong. But when I imagined the same scenario with another woman, I felt immense joy and happiness bubble up inside me. It felt so right and so beautiful.
Over time and with the help of some of my favourite fictional queer characters (thank you Willow Rosenberg and Alex Danvers), I felt ready to come out.
The first person I told was my amazing sister. I knew she wouldn’t have any difficulty accepting this part of me because she, in fact, already knew.
Apparently, I suck at keeping my queerness hidden. Which I am really proud of. Maybe even my younger self knew I didn’t need to be afraid.
So far, so good, my sister was supportive as any sibling could be. Next, were my friends but this felt more casual. There was no big announcement. When the right moment came along, I just said, “I only like women” or “Yep, I’m a lesbian”. Thankfully, I have wonderfully loving friends and some are also queer.
The two people I was felt most nervous to tell was my mum and grandma. We aren’t a religious family but they have made comments about queer folk in the past that has made me uncomfortable.
Regardless of my trepidation and fear, I knew I had to embrace my authenticity and start living for myself. So I sent my Mum a text. She said she didn’t know I was attracted to other women but that it didn’t matter. She didn’t love me any differently.
And my Nan, well, I never actually said to her, “I’m gay”. When I told her I had someone and her name was Sophie, she didn’t even bat an eyelid, she just carried on with her day. I love that response because that’s how I believe it should be. Being queer needs to be normalised in society. Why should we have to announce, “This is me, I am coming out.. as myself”.
It feels wrong to me that we should even have to reveal or announce our sexual or gender identity. I want to live in a world where people don’t fear difference but embrace and cherish it. Where we can be accepted and loved.
Since I came out, my life has been transformed and I fully accept that being queer is one of the most beautiful parts of myself. I am living authentically, with grace, gratitude, joy, compassion and empathy.
I believe when we live authentically, the Earth falls into balance and we become ONE with every being in the universe.
I knew I was different from about 9 or 10 but I knew I was gay when my teacher in 8th grade, giving a talk about sexuality, gave all the girls a survey to ask, “on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you desire a boyfriend?”. It was an odd question but it was anonymous so I answered truthfully. He then collected the papers and read out the numbers aloud “8, 10, 9, 2! Two??? Wow.” The class laughed…I was mortified. I spent the next 20 years hiding this truth from myself and everyone around me.
In order to keep up pretenses I slept around and dated every guy I could but I never felt love. It always felt like friends with benefits. I joined the military at 26 during Dont Ask Dont Tell and after I started dating women, in secret, I still did my duty at work but that law kept me from feeling connected to my fellow troops. I couldn’t share my dreams or hopes or loves. I couldn’t talk about my weekend trips without dancing around pronouns or lying altogether. I lied to myself, my family, my friends…i felt like a fake. I was externally happy-go-lucky and adventurous but inside…I felt alone. Empty.
At 30 yrs old, I finally stuck with one girlfriend longer than a few months and we moved in together. I couldn’t keep lying and I wanted to free myself of the burden I had felt most of my life. It was time to be honest. I was a grown-ass woman; brave in every other area of my life except this one. No more lies.
I knew my biggest rejection would come from my religious family so I went big and started with my parents; if I could tell them, I could tell anyone. I knew that the moment I said it out loud I would lose them forever but I could no longer live for others; it was time to be authentically me. My parents and I got into a car to head to the beach and on the way home I told them I had to tell them something big. They saw my face turn white, my voice began to shake, tears started to fall. They said, “Mija…whats wrong? What is it?”. I said that I was gay. I knew I was attracted to women and I was tired of living a lie. I then commenced to crying even harder. My father spoke up, “Lisa, you are my daughter…you are the same person you were 5 minutes ago, nothing has changed. I love you. I will always love you.”. My strict religious father surprised me with LOVE. My mother took it harder but she came around over time.
I’m 44 now. I’m happy, healthy, and OUT to ALL . In the military I have to still be careful who I let into my circle but those who know me, accept all of me. I am finally allowed to serve and feel connected to my team. I am absolutely unafraid to live and love. It feels so good to say that. I lost some homophobic friends and family members along the way but you find that when the lies are gone you are able to have closer bonds with those who truly love you. It was worth it.
Sending love and amazing vibes to all my fellow LGBTQ+ family. May you all be free to explore your path and live devoid of any shame that stifles your happiness.
I properly came out I when I was 25 as a lesbian, but I called myself Bi when I 1st talked about liking women when I was 22 and I fell in love with my best friend. Growing up in a very religious family I didn’t hear the word gay until my early teens, but never heard the word “lesbian” spoken out loud. Looking back it was so obvious I was gay as I’ve always “liked” girls/women. I had a crushes on celebrities and my mum’s and older sisters friends, but never put 2 and 2 together. When I broke away from my family and started travelling the world from 19 year of age I discovered about the gay community. But it really hit home when I fell in love with my best friend when we were in the army. I was so confused, so embarrassed and thought I didn’t want to be different. My religious upbringing really made me feel guilty and wrong. But luckily my friend was so understand, even though it was unrequited love and I was heartbroken. I went backpacking to Australia after leaving the army and really started hitting the gay scene. There I discovered I was a lesbian as I never was physically attracted to men. After that, I travelled to London where I had several relationships with women, partied hard on the lesbian/queer scene and years later met my future wife. We now have 2 kids and been together for 17 years. So it’s been a long journey and I could tell you so many stories, but that is for another time! Anyway, I wish everyone discovering themselves a great journey. It will all be ok xxx Romy aka MamaGoo5e