Photo Credit: Ted Eytan via Flickr
For three years, I agonized over how I’d come out as bisexual to my parents. But none of that planning was useful.
At the beginning of the summer, I decided to come out to my family.
But when the moment actually came, I froze. As my mom dropped me off at a friend’s house , I yelled, “Mom, I’m bi, bye!” It wasn’t exactly straightforward. And a scared part of me hoped she’d mishear it for, “Bye, bye!” She laughed as I slammed the car door and walked away.
When I got home, my mom was still laughing about it. She said, “Tell your father what you told me.”
I panicked–I ran upstairs and spent the next few days dodging my parents.
Finally, I confided in a family friend, and she helped mediate. My mom and I are on better terms now. We’re taking it one step at a time.
When I thought about coming out, I imagined a great unveiling. But I never thought about the aftermath. I guess there’s no way to fully plan how to reveal your true self. Coming out is a process, and in a way, I’m still going through it.