My coming out story is one of the thing that gives me joy, though it was not as easy as it may sound.
I found out who I was at the age of six; that was the first time I had a crush on a beautiful women.. Funny as it may sound.
I grew up doing things like men, my parents never showed concern because they felt it is only like that because I grew up with twenty siblings, who were all males. They never took notice of me being different. My mother always bought me same clothes as my brothers, and her reason was that she did not have time to shop in a different shop for a girl since I am still a young child, and my clothes do not matter.
At eleven I had my first sex encounter with a girl and that made me finally discover myself. My elder brother found out at early stage but then he felt it was just a child play he said “you will surely stop this shit when you grow up,” but that never happened.
I was in my third year in school when I was caught by my mum having sex with a woman in my room, she was shocked; she cried that was all she could do at that moment. She called me for a discussion and did everything a mother could do. She never hated me rather she loved me more, she saw me as a special child and her comment was “I know this is what makes you happy and who you are, I will not stop you but keep praying to God to have His way”.
Fast forward to my graduation, I came out to everyone.The shock was high, the tension was big but I was ready to handle it…..I was ready to face the consequences.
My brothers, they all withdrew, but my Mum never did, she was my back-bone, and she gave me reasons to live. All support was taken away from me, I became the prodigal daughter, the black-sheep of the family, but I stayed true to myself.
Years went by I became someone they never thought I would be, I became an advocate for the sexual minorities, today everyone in my home wants to be closer to me… No one treats me like an outcast anymore. They boldly said to me “Be yourself and be who you are but do not paint it to our faces”.
To the ones who want to come out, I want you to understand that it is never easy coming out, neither is it hard but then there are questions you need to ask yourself.
Are you ready?
People will fail you….family will reject you….are you strong enough both physically, mentally and emotionally? Make sure you are independent before taking any step. Be true to yourself and be steadfast.
We are all humans, sexuality does not count…
