A handy guide to coming out the closet

mambaonline.com:

Life’s too short to spend it in the closet! It’s a phrase that’s often bandied about when talking about coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+). And while there’s little doubt that being free and open about who you are, who you love or the gender that you identify with is in principle a good thing, life is a little more complicated than that. (Isn’t it always?) The reality is that some of us have the luxury of living in families or communities that will be more accepting than others.

Coming out is always an act of bravery, but for some, it can also be an act that may lead to rejection, homelessness, isolation and in extreme cases, even death.

Don’t get us wrong – living life in our own truth and without shame is something to aspire to, but let’s not judge each other on the “if, when and how” we choose to do it. Coming out is not a once-off experience Coming out is not an isolated moment – it is a lifelong process and happens again and again.

It starts with coming out to yourself and continues with every person you meet. When you move house, change jobs, or join a club, you will have to decide again whether to disclose or not.