Supporting a Friend or Family Member Who has Decided to Come Out
- Intro
- The First Stage of Coming Out
- On Their Own Terms
- Dealing With Your Feelings
- Terms to Avoid
- Supporting Them Before and After
- Talking to Others in Your Life About the Disclosure
- Dealing With Discrimination
Intro
What should you do if a friend or family member tells you that he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender? For starters, try to learn the relevant vocabulary so that you can start to understand what the person is trying to share with you. Feel honored that this person trusts you enough to tell you about his or her personal life. The following are key words to increase understanding.
- Coming out: The process of acknowledging to oneself, and then to others, that one is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
- Sexual orientation: A person