Without naming any names, I know a few people on the forums who are really struggling with their identity and accepting/loving themselves at the moment, so I thought that it would be nice to start a thread specifically aimed at sending positive messages to struggling members of the LGBTQ+ community.
As with any successful cause, we always need allies, so if you’re straight and you’re supportive of your LGBTQ+ friends and family out there, it is absolutely wonderful to hear from you, too!
I would love to know the following things:
Are you part of the LGBTQ+ Community? If so, how do you identify?
Are you religious? If so, what religion?
If you’ve ever had to come out to friends and/or family, do you have any advice?
Do you have any nice messages you can give to our friends out there?
I would love to hear from both members of the LGBTQ+ community and straight people if that’s possible! It doesn’t matter if you’re gay, straight, bi, trans, asexual, aromantic, demisexual, or if you’re out or not! We’re here for you.
This is a post to promote a healthy self-love among people who are struggling with their identity. If you have any opinions that might disress people, keep them to a different thread. Thanks!
I am straight, I don’t know the actual word for it.
I am religious, I’m Muslim.
Be understanding if they aren’t ready for such a big change, but never let them control you. Life is short, we haven’t got time hiding who we really are.
I identify as bisexual because I am attracted to both men and women – it doesn’t really matter to me if they’re trans or cis! As long as we have a great connection. I guess I could also be referred to as a sapiosexual because I love people who can challenge me on an intellectual level. Intelligence ridiculously attractive!
I am religious! I’m Christian – Catholic to be precise (although I just missed Church and didn’t even realise. Oops). Being a good Christian means loving your neighbour regardless of their gender or sexuality. I would go as far as to say it’s about loving your neighbour without even considering their gender or sexuality, not in spite of it.
I have had to come out to both my friends and family! I came out to my friends at school first: it was a bit of a struggle and it took me time to find a group of people who loved and respected me for that. But when I did find that group, I looked back on the old friends I lost and realised that they really didn’t deserve me. Why would I want friends who can fall out with me over something as small as me liking their gender?! I may or may not have told one of the girls not to flatter herself when she was worried I’d hit on her. Not my finest moment, but it did feel good! I then found people who love me because I’m me, and part of being me is about being bisexual. I feel a lot happier for it and it was definitely worth it!
In terms of my parents, my dad was actually a little homophobic, but he changed his view massively as soon as I came out. He realised he loved me despite that and that he couldn’t justify his thoughts anymore. My mum? She accidentally read my speech for an assembly I was doing at school about coming out. She didn’t do anything but write “I think I always knew. I love you! Mum”, which really made me smile. Some people have been a little more challenging with it, but I found that it worked out for me in the end!
My advice is to never feel pressured into coming out! Do it in your own time when you feel ready, comfortable and safe. At the same time, though, don’t lead people on if you know your sexuality! You’re the most important person in that situation and there is no right way or time to come out. You matter!
We’re all here for you! As tough as things may get, there will always be people on Episode for you to come to and who will love you for who you are. Writing is a great way to get all of your frustration and negative emotions out, so take the opportunity to get away from your troubles with us every now and then! We’d all love another amazing story!
Thank you! It’s great to start the ball rolling with an ally as I think it can be much harder to come out to a religious straight person because of the way some people act. Thank you so much for your support!
If we’re all going to be sharing here, I’ve always adopted the motto of ‘anyone can identify however they like, it’s no skin off my back’. Even when i was a straight weeb so far in the closet i met Prince Caspien. he may have given me a little awakening actually. That actor is fiiiiine even then, I would use the pronouns people preferred and happily accept folks for who they are. It’s much easier than being against everyone for no reason.
Nowadays especially i have my limits, but that’s not the point here. I love to be positive about this kind of thing. I came out as bi when I was 16, and I’ve had a really accepting and nice experience with my family since. I like to try and treat people how I was treated in that regard, personally.
In college I then realised I was also attracted to non-binary folks as Well, so I suppose I’m pan! I personally love a good gay love interest in media, and I have a nice mix of LGBT and straight ally friends in my life. Not to mention the fact that I’m in a straight relationship and it’s hilarious when i can talk to my girlfriend about how sexy or hot a girl or guy in a film or anime is.
This is a brilliant idea for a thread here. I can’t wait to see more of the responses!
I’m heterosexual but I support LGBTQ+ because love is love.
I wouldn’t say I’m religious though I do find some parts of Christianity very essential - like the one that @ShanniiWrites has already mentioned:
If I was a part of the LGBTQ+ community and had to come out to family/friends, I’d be forward and tell them the simple truth. Yes, their opinion would matter but I don’t think it’d be important enough to make me not want to come out. My advise is to just tell it and whatever consequences it might have, you just have to steadily deal with because it won’t be worth pretending to be someone you’re not just because your family or friends might not approve.
Stay true to who you are - lots of people love you, honor you and respect you because you’re you, no matter your gender, sexuality, religion, race etc.
Don’t ever think you’re worth any less than what society considers ‘normal’ people. You were born you, so be you, no matter who that person is. It was our birthright to live, to love, to laugh and to be human - don’t ever let anyone take that away from you! x
I’m a part of the LGBTQ+ community and I identify as bisexual
I’m christian (Imagine how my family reacted when they found out their perfect little girl might bring home a girl one day).
I only came out to my friends and family recently (though it was more me falling out the closet onto my ass, because my dad used my phone and saw a text from my friend who was sending me pictures of this girl she thought I might like - The way he looked at me made me want to climb back into the closet and lock it from the inside out and explaining it to my parents was really confusing for them, because I couldn’t be straight forward and say “I’m into to girls and only girls”. It made for an awkward hour long conversation and though I wish I could have told them a different way, I think it was worth it, because even though both of my parents were kind of stunned, I knew the second my dad saw those texts that I didn’t have to hide myself anymore. I battled between my sexuality and my culture/religion (being Indian and Christian didn’t make for the best closeted years of my life), but eventually I found a balance when I realized me being into guys and girls doesn’t make me any less culturally inclined or any less of a Christian.
I know sometimes the whole situation of realizing you aren’t as straight as you thought you are can be a tiny bit terrifying, it’s important to know that you were born exist as you choose, despite what the world around you tells you. Nobody except you has the power to tell you how to live and who to love x
This thread is genuinely making me smile and I really hope more people reply
Well… I have full support for LGBTQ+ community. I wish the best for them all!
What am I?
I have a type for people that I “date”. Very intelligent, (at least looks so haha) funny, good person and that’s it…? Wow! I’m really amazed by my standards to be honest
I will date anyone regardless of their gender, sex, race, religion, political views (unless extreme patriarchy…) and literally anything! But here comes the other part of the stick.
I don’t like anyone, anymore… I feel sick when thinking of my future with anyone. I feel sick when someone compliments me while flirting. I can’t even see anyone as interesting to date, anymore? This doesn’t seem normal when I used to have crushes weekly. I guess it was the realization of reality.
TL;DR :
If I actually loved someone, gender or sex wouldn’t matter. So I’m LGBTQ+? But at the same time, I can’t even have crushes on anyone except fictional characters. So I’m aromantic? If I can’t love anyone…would gender matter?
Ugh. I hate this. But I did have crushes on females (I’m a cis female) before I realized love is pointless… So am I LGBTQ+?
Are you part of the LGBTQ+ Community: No I’m heterosexual
Are you religious? If so, what religion: I’m Roman Catholic but I haven’t been to church in a while
If you’ve ever had to come out to friends and/or family, do you have any advice?: I’ve never had to come out because I’m not apart of the community but I would say be honest with your friends and family, those who are meant to be in your life and truly care about you would come around eventually even if they may not agree with your decision at first.
Do you have any nice messages you can give to our friends out there?: Don’t let anyone make you feel ashamed of who you are and how you choose to live your life. Life is short what’s the point in not living it to the fullest. God gave us free will so live your life how you choose to and carve out your own destiny.
