(no subject)
Today is National Coming Out Day.
Well, it is if you live in the USA. I'm Canadian, but that's besides the point of this post.
I am bisexual.
Anyone who is reading this post (who cares) should already know that.
There are many of my friends, family and coworkers who know this.
However, there are a lot of people in my life -- friends, family, and others -- who don't know that about me.
I am a woman in my late twenties who recently moved back home with my parents for financial reasons. I am actively working on regaining my independence, but at the moment I'm dependent on their good will. My parents are loving, supportive people who want the best for me in life.
They also think that homosexuality is a sin; a bad lifestyle choice made by those who perhaps suffered some form of neglect or abuse as a child.
My realization that I was interested in women as well as men has come since I moved back home.
So I have chosen not to come out
At the moment, I am not in a relationship (with either a man or a woman). If I were, my decision to remain quiet about this for now would probably be different.
(I also believe that my sexuality is only part of who I am, and quite frankly, I've never discussed my sex life with my parents when I thought I was straight, so why do I need to now?)
I'm posting this because I know my situation -- or some variety of it -- is a common one. For various reasons, many people do not feel safe coming out at this time. I live in a country where gay marriage has been legal for 10 years now, but that doesn't change this. Picking a day and calling it 'National Coming Out Day' does not change this.
Only radical shifts in the values and attitude of our culture will change this.
So today, on National Coming Out day, celebrate with those who want to shout out who they are for the world to see. But please also stand behind those who know who they are, and are not ashamed of it, but are trapped in situations where they may not be able to take that next step yet.
Well, it is if you live in the USA. I'm Canadian, but that's besides the point of this post.
I am bisexual.
Anyone who is reading this post (who cares) should already know that.
There are many of my friends, family and coworkers who know this.
However, there are a lot of people in my life -- friends, family, and others -- who don't know that about me.
I am a woman in my late twenties who recently moved back home with my parents for financial reasons. I am actively working on regaining my independence, but at the moment I'm dependent on their good will. My parents are loving, supportive people who want the best for me in life.
They also think that homosexuality is a sin; a bad lifestyle choice made by those who perhaps suffered some form of neglect or abuse as a child.
My realization that I was interested in women as well as men has come since I moved back home.
So I have chosen not to come out
At the moment, I am not in a relationship (with either a man or a woman). If I were, my decision to remain quiet about this for now would probably be different.
(I also believe that my sexuality is only part of who I am, and quite frankly, I've never discussed my sex life with my parents when I thought I was straight, so why do I need to now?)
I'm posting this because I know my situation -- or some variety of it -- is a common one. For various reasons, many people do not feel safe coming out at this time. I live in a country where gay marriage has been legal for 10 years now, but that doesn't change this. Picking a day and calling it 'National Coming Out Day' does not change this.
Only radical shifts in the values and attitude of our culture will change this.
So today, on National Coming Out day, celebrate with those who want to shout out who they are for the world to see. But please also stand behind those who know who they are, and are not ashamed of it, but are trapped in situations where they may not be able to take that next step yet.