Don’t worry that you’re too young to know which sex or gender you would like to be romantically involved with. No matter your age, you can know how you feel.

If you have any friends or family members who identify as LGBTQ you could also ask them to tell you about what it was like for them to come out.

Sometimes people might make assumptions about your sexual orientation. Don’t feel like you have to come out just to correct or confirm their assumptions. Only come out because it is what you want to do.

Your list might include your parents, a sibling, a friend, or another family member. It’s a good idea to just pick one person to start with because a one on one conversation can feel less intimidating than talking to multiple people. If you want to tell both of your parents at the same time, it’s definitely okay to choose 2 people to tell.

Shock Anger Confusion Fear Sadness If you encounter these reactions, it’s okay to take a time out. You can say, “I can see that you’re upset. Maybe you can reach out to me when you’re feeling calmer. "

If you are worried about their reaction, have a back-up plan. Ask a friend or family member if you can stay with them for a while if your parents kick you out. Hopefully, that won’t happen, but it’s always best to be prepared.

If you want to come out to a friend, you can say, “Hey, do you want to come over after soccer practice? I have something I’d like to talk to you about. ” If you are worried that the other person might get angry, choose to have the conversation somewhere public, like a nearby coffee shop.

You could also try, “I’m a lesbian and I’m ready to start dating girls. This is a big step for me!” Hopefully, the other person will take a cue from your positivity and react in a similar way.

Try saying, “I’m excited to tell you, but I’m nervous about how others might react. Maybe you could help me figure out who else I want to tell?” You could also say, “I’m glad I told you, but this has been a really emotional process for me. I could use some extra. ”

If there is an LGBTQ community center in your town or at your school, you can swing by there to grab some helpful pamphlets. You could say, “I know you might not understand. Here’s some information that might help things more clear. ”

A common question is “Are you sure?” You can say something like, “Yes, I’m very clear on the type of person that I would like to date. I’m not confused. ” They might also ask, “Are you ready for your life to change?” A good answer might be, “I’m a little nervous, actually. I’m hoping I can count on your support. ”

You could say to your parents, “I’d really appreciate if you don’t tell any other family members. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to do that. ” To a friend, you might say, “Let’s keep this to ourselves for now. Please don’t share this with our other friends unless I say it is okay. ”

You can also ask your parents to look into this for you. You could say, “I just want to make sure there’s a no tolerance policy for bullying at my school. Can you look into that for me?”

Schedule an appointment to talk. You could say, “I wanted to let you know that I want to come out as LGBTQ. Does the school have any support services for me?”

It’s totally fine to just come out to a small group of select people. You don’t have to be out to everyone.

Let your friends help you spread the word. You can say, “Feel free to tell people my news. I’m excited to live more openly!”

Ask a friend to eat lunch with you and walk to class together. There’s strength in numbers! Report any incidents to both your parents and school authorities. No one has the right to treat you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable.