| "It was
important for me to come out to my family. First
to be honest with myself, but also to be open
with the people I love and respect the
most." "Coming out is like
stepping out from the darkness. It's
liberation."
"Coming
out to my best friend was very difficult. She was
shocked and I thought I'd lost her as a friend.
However, once she met my girlfriend and saw the
two of us happy together her attitude changed.
She said she was surprised at how right it
was."
"I
found that once I told my family and they were
happy about it, I wanted to tell other people. It
gave me great confidence knowing that whatever
happened my parents would support me."
"I
think a lot of parents fear that you'll be
lonely. But after I came out and started bringing
friends home, my mother saw that I have a very
loyal and supportive group of friends."
"It's
funny, after you come out, people say that
they've known for years, and you think, why
didn't they tell me?!"
"God
made me a lesbian."
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"It's about
being proud of who you are. My family is also
proud of me. In some ways me being lesbian has
helped broaden their minds and challenge
attitudes they hear on the street." "Coming out
made me realise that I am normal."
"I
needed to be honest with the people I cared
about. When you're lying to them about something
that is so central to you, your relationship
suffers"
"When
I came out to my father he really surprised me.
He said that he knew and that he'd offered me so
many opportunities in the past to tell him!"
"I
felt that my family would reject me, but when
they said they love me because I am who I am and
that nothing would ever change the way that they
feel, I cannot describe how I felt."
"I
was scared to come out, frightened about what
people would think. Now I realise it's better to
know how people feel. I've discovered who my real
friends are and the people who have a problem
with me being lesbian I've learned to ignore.
They have a problem."
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| "Any parent
who accepts and helps their gay child's
"Coming Out" into the open is simply
continuing the role started the day the child was
born - making her or him confident and
independent. The first thing they require is the
reassurance that we love them as much as ever.
The very fact that they have been so brave to
tell us must touch our hearts." "I pray to
God that her life will go well and that she will
find a nice sensible partner and settle down some
day."
"Once
we knew, she changed completely. She seemed much
happier and was able in a short time to come out
to somesome of friends."
"I
was of the view that homosexuality was a learned
condition. However we raised Lorna and our other
daughter in exactly the same way. My own opinion
is now veering towards nature as opposed to
nurture."
"I
love her very dearly. She is my only child and I
want her to be happy and if she's happy, I'm
happy. If she's sad, I'm sad."
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"I didn't
want to reject her or her partner, I like her
partner. My attitude is that everyone has to live
their own life whether they be gay or
heterosexual." "I hope the
people of the world will realise that gay and
lesbian people are born that way and are just as
beautiful and wonderful as the people we call
normal and that they will accept our lovely
children as they should be accepted."
"Sitting
and talking with her has been a great help and I
have been to parents' support meetings. These
things have helped me realise that it is not a
choice. Why would you choose to live on the
margins of society?"
"Her
lesbianism is just part of her life, just a part
of the many complex parts that go to make a
person."
"She
seems happier, more confident, that's all I want
for her, I want her to be able to have a happy
relationship, as I do."
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