National Coming Out Day: My Story

Brighton-beach

October 11th is National Coming Out Day – happy coming out day! All of which made me think about my coming out. About how scary it was and still can be; and about how it never ends, how life is an ever-rolling series of coming out to new people, who mostly assume my partner is a man. Can it get tiresome? Yes. Is it necessary? Absolutely. Here’s my coming out story…

I was still at university when I told my parents I was a lesbian. I was 21 and unbeknown to them, I had a girlfriend. But I knew it would be a shock for them. After all, when I had left home to start my degree two years earlier, I’d had a boyfriend. Not anymore.

But going home to tell my parents was beyond nerve-wracking. For a start, they’re old-school catholic, and from a very different generation. Did they even know anybody else who was gay? I didn’t think so.

But I’m one of eight children, which comes in handy sometimes. So before I told my parents, I told my siblings: they were all surprised, but not wholly shocked.ย  They were supportive, but they all understood how hard it would be to tell our parents: nobody wanted to trade places. My brother offered to come with me to tell them, but this was something I had to do on my own.

It was New Year’s Day and I was with my parents in the lounge where I’d grown up. Shockingly patterned carpet, check; burgundy sofa, check; lampshades with tassles on, check. I’d drunk around ten cups of tea, and was fidgety beyond belief: it’d all gone unnoticed. We’d just watched Match Of The Day, when I took the remote control and turned off the TV. That got their attention.

“So, I wanted to talk to you both,” I said. I probably blushed at this point, an annoying trait that still happens in situations of stress.

They both sat forward: my dad was next to me on the sofa, my mum on the two-seater opposite. They were both smiling: I was pretty sure it wouldn’t last.

“So you know you’ve always wanted me to be happy?”

Hesitant nods all round.

“Well I want you to know that I am happy.” Pause. “And I’m gay.”

Now at this stage, I should point out my dad is slightly deaf in one ear. And that I was on his bad side. And it was because of this that he broke into a hesitant grin, moved towards me, put his arm around me and repeated back: “You’re engaged?!”

I should have checked he had his hearing aid on.

Awkward.

But tellingly, when I corrected him, he didn’t take his arm away.

My mum, on the other hand, wasn’t showing such a good reaction, glowering at me from the other sofa and asking me if I was just “jumping on the Boy George bandwagon?” Later in life, when I was a music journalist, I related this to Boy George when I interviewed him. “I had a bandwagon?” he asked, chuckling.

And so the deed was done. And no, it wasn’t plain sailing. That night, we sat in the lounge for another half an hour talking in stretched, jagged sentences, no road map for this particular stage of our lives. The next day, I went back to university, a weight lifted from my shoulders but future uncertainty replacing it. Nobody was jumping for joy, but I was glad they knew.

It took a few years for the dust to settle, and for both me and my parents to carve out our new roles; for them to meet a girlfriend, for us to start talking about it. Yes, there were some strained visits and car journeys in that time, but ultimately, they never stopped being my parents. Yes, they were shocked, but they got over it. And today, they welcome my wife into their home unconditionally. They love her because she’s a gorgeous person; that she cooks a mean lamb rack and has an extensive whisky collection also helps. They’ve even read one of my lesbian romance novels, a sentence I never thought I’d write.

The world has changed so much in 20 years, even I find it astounding. Heck, in 2014, I got married. How I’d love to go back to my 21-year-old self and tell her not to worry; that by her early 30s, she’s going to have met the one and be happy. She’d have probably pointed to the Tory government and section 28, telling me not to be so stupid. But my story does have a happy ending: my coming out was a little bumpy, but my family & friends love me and I have a wife who’s the love of my life. You can’t ask for much more.

However, I’m still aware that not every family is so accepting; not every culture will welcome their lesbian daughter, their gay son, their trans child, their queer offspring. I know, because I see the pain those close to me are still going through today: families that refuse to accept, that turn their back just because they don’t like who their child has chosen to love. I still find it baffling.

I’m hopeful for the next generation, though; I see the world changing, but I know it’s not the same around the whole planet. If you’re LGBTQ in huge swathes of the world, life’s not such a picnic. Which is why coming out and making yourself visible is so important. You might not be able to change the world, but you can change the world around you, and maybe I can show someone I meet that being a lesbian is just being a person: nothing more, nothing less.

I couldn’t not come out, because I can’t not be me. I knew 20 years ago that this wasn’t going to change and I know it today. I am who I am and I’m proud of who I am. Happy National Coming Out Day!

 

Share:

Comments

  1. Wow. What a beautiful story! You were SO brave back then! And I have now learned that if I am ever imparting important news to a person with a hearing aid, to be sure to be on the side where it is. ๐Ÿ™‚ (that was very funny that your dad thought you said ‘engaged’. Am still chuckling.)

    So happy for you that you have found the love of your life and are doing great! Best wishes for many, many more happy years together.

    Yes, it truly is amazing where our societies have come to in 20 years. We are lucky we are alive in this most exciting time frame.

    1. So true Karen, I’m still amazed when I look around today – I so wouldn’t have believed it as a 20-year-old, but there’s still a long way to go. And a life lesson for us all: always make sure the hearing aid is on ;p Take care, Clare. x

  2. Thank you for sharing your story Clare. I’d like the London book first.

    I was a late bloomer. Didn’t realise why 2 marriages had failed. Then I met some Lesbians and voila things started to fall into place. I was living in Seattle. My true love lived in Crewe UK. We courted online and รฌn person when we could. I was made redundant got a fat bonus for sticking it out. Packed the essentials & moved to Crewe. I have been here for 13yrs. We are now married have 2dogs & I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes I did suffer from culture shock but refused to acknowledge it. The weather is very similar. Coming out to friends & family wasn’t that big of a deal. Though now I’m here some folks don’t keep in touch all that we’ll. One won’t speak to me at all anymore. Thank you for letting me blather on . All the best xxxooo

    1. Cheered by your story, Tee. So glad you found your true love – and in Crewe! I used to travel through there a lot – have had many cups of coffee on Crewe train station. Thanks for responding, and take care. Clare. x

  3. Thanks for the story Claire and please write the London book first ๐Ÿ™‚
    I’m sorry to say I’ve still not “come out ” but pretty sure a lot of folk know. My parents are gone now and I would probably come out now except my gf mum still alive. the catholic influence was and is an issue. However I don’t let it bother me, I love my partner and she loves me and that’s all that matters ๐Ÿ™‚
    Keep up the good work with your wonderful stories x

    1. That is all that matters, Angela. Thanks so much for sharing your story, sending lots of love to you and your girlfriend. Take care, Clare. x

  4. I remember telling my Family, and luckly all went well. There was one comment, that even today makes my laugh. My Aunt who at the time was around 65, when told i was gay, turned round and said, “but she’s always been a happy person”. Gotta lover her.

  5. Hi Clare – you are an inspiration.
    I wish I had come out to the world – I’m trans MTF. My second wife knows and tries to understand, but is scared of people’s reactions if they ever found out. I wasted over thirty years of hetero marriage trying to be something I’m not, making us both unhappy. There is much more to tell, but not here.

  6. Love it. Of course, I was 46 when I came out – different situation, long hard journey. Anyway, I find it soothing to hear people’s stories and it helps me connect with them and understand the complexity of our world. Love is love, and we all need it. Sometimes that love comes from a simple hug from a friend or a heartwarming story. Merry Christmas to you, your wife, and your family.
    Sincerely,
    Joni from across the pond

    1. Thanks Joni, and yes, you’re very right – love is love, and we should all celebrate the love we have. Hope you had a fab Christmas and Happy New Year, too! Take care, Clare. x

  7. Beautiful coming out story.

    Mine was so very different. I didn’t begin to come out, even to myself, until my early 40’s. By then, I’d had a failed marriage which ended in divorce, and two children in college. I came out as a transgender woman to my then fiancee, later second wife. She accepted me, though her orientation was mostly heterosexual. She was trying to work through her issues with my change and how it affected her when she was hospitalized for a bit over two years.

    After she passed, almost my entire family turned their backs on me. I’ve got a sister, and one female cousin, who have accepted me for who I am. “I couldnโ€™t not come out, because I canโ€™t not be me.” The rings so true to me.

    1. Lovely to hear from you, Janet, and I hope life isn’t too hard for you – at least you have the support of your sister and cousin. Take heart, I believe things will get better in the future. And yes, like you say – it’s always better to be who you are and let the chips fall where they may. Take care, Clare. x

  8. Nice coming out story. Mine is similar and yet different because I am a bit older. Unfortunately, after so many years of being completely out of the closet, I’ve had to re-think that and that is just sad. For nearly 30 years I’ve been an out and proud lesbian and now as I look for a new position, I find myself playing the pronoun game. That is what Trump has done to make America great again…..

    1. Really sorry to hear that, Annette – these are worrying times. Stay strong, and I hope the world turns again soon. Take care, Clare. x

  9. Beautiful coming out story!

    I am a parent who was on the receiving end of one of those coming out stories. (Actually, more than one.) Back when my daughter was in middle school, she came out as bisexual. I wasn’t surprised, or perhaps I was surprised that she liked guys, too. To a large extent, she is the reason I am a fan of lesbian romance. Several years earlier, I stumbled upon some Japanese “yuri” manga and, because I had a “hunch” about my daughter, began reading more of it and, like other manga and anime that I enjoyed, discussing it with my kids. In a way, I was doing this to make sure that my kids both understood that there was nothing wrong with same sex relationships and that if they ever needed to talk with me about something of that sort it wouldn’t be a problem. In the process I also stumbled upon other lesbian fiction and absolutely fell in love with the genre.

    A few years later, she has slightly altered her orientation to “polysexual” and has also come out as polyamorous. (Polysexual is similar to pansexual, but not as all-inclusive. She has dated a couple of gender non-binary and trans-male individuals, as well as women.) I wasn’t too shocked about that one either… in fact I had just included a polyamory subplot in the novel series I an writing shortly before she came out, involving a character that is very much based on her. She was almost mad about that. I can’t say that I did it intentionally, though. I would say it was probably subconscious.

    Her girlfriend is still not out, however, and her trans-male boyfriend’s parents are not particularly supportive of his gender identity, though they are supportive of their relationship, at least.

    1. Fab to hear a story of such a supportive parent – and glad to hear you’ve fallen in love with lesbian fiction on the way. It’s certainly a favourite of mine. Love that you have a polyamory subplot in your novel, too! Take care & thanks for commenting! Clare. x

  10. I live in the Netherland and in 1977 it wasn’t so bad to come out as a lesbian in our country. But for me it was difficult to tell my mom who became a widowe just for 3 years. I didn’t live at home anymore. Just after my dad passed away I left my Mum and my little brother because we always disagreed about everything. After a fight I said:”And to tell you something new to schock you, I’m a lesbian!”. She stood frozen and numb and I had to go to the docter with her because she couldn’t understand why her daughte was a lesbianr”. And now, more than fourty years later when I give her a call, her first question is “and how is my beloved daughter- in- love doing now a days?”. Then I remember her that I am her daughter! and she laughs and says “I Know but I couldn’t wish for a lovelier woman for you and for me a darling second daughter”. (excuse for the mistakes but I am Dutch and don’t speak or write flawless English)

    1. Lovely story, Mickey. Parents are often shocked at first, but then come around. I’m hoping the next generation have it even better. Take care, Clare x

  11. Thank you for sharing your story (and the lovely picture of you and your wife). I love hearing these happy stories, especially on this day, they give me so much hope. I came out a few months ago to my parents, very similarly to how you did it. Not sure my mom has wrapped her head around it yet – we haven’t talked about it since. But regardless it feels great to have done my bit of it. Now it’s up to them to take the time and do the work we’ve all had to do on ourselves to accept it.

    1. Well done, Lara! It can take a while, but it’s worth it in the end. Thanks for stopping by! Clare x

Comments are closed.