Mar 20, 2012 5:21 AM GMT
Have you helped someone come out of the closet by being out yourself? Sorry this post is so long, it's a bit of a read, but I like telling stories 
So, my sister mentioned something to me the other day about her friend. I came home for a visit about 4 years ago for a weekend. It was my sister's birthday and so she had a bunch of her Highschool friends in the basement hanging out. I had ordered them some pizza and when I arrived, so did the pizza. I went downstairs to give it to them, and I remember feeling like I walked into the twilight zone. They all stopped talking and were staring at me. I later found out that they were completely scared of me and thought I had come down to bitch them out for being so loud (they were being pretty loud but they're teenagers!).
Apparently after I left, her friends started asking my sister about me since they had never really seen me before. One particular kid was quiet, something my sister took notice of since he was usually very talkative.
One of her friends asked if I had a girlfriend and my sister answered without skipping a beat that I had a cute boyfriend. Apparently it was the subject of discussion for a bit. Her friend who was quiet asked my sister if she was okay with me being gay. She responded saying, "What's the big deal? Who cares if he's dating a guy or a girl. Nothing really changed. He's still my big brother. And he's not scary at all, he's like a big teddy bear!"
The kids quickly agreed that they thought it was cool. The quiet kid eventually came out to his friends seeing that they were not going to exile him for being gay. He eventually came out to his parents (whom now hate my sister since they think she turned thier only son gay).
I never once thought being out would ever help anyone come out. I came out for myself because I wanted a chance to date a guy and not be ashamed of it. I never saw myself as a role model, but my sister made it clear that I am someone that people look up to. It made me wonder if I had helped others come out of the closet too without realizing it.
I'm interested to know if others have done something similar experiences

So, my sister mentioned something to me the other day about her friend. I came home for a visit about 4 years ago for a weekend. It was my sister's birthday and so she had a bunch of her Highschool friends in the basement hanging out. I had ordered them some pizza and when I arrived, so did the pizza. I went downstairs to give it to them, and I remember feeling like I walked into the twilight zone. They all stopped talking and were staring at me. I later found out that they were completely scared of me and thought I had come down to bitch them out for being so loud (they were being pretty loud but they're teenagers!).
Apparently after I left, her friends started asking my sister about me since they had never really seen me before. One particular kid was quiet, something my sister took notice of since he was usually very talkative.
One of her friends asked if I had a girlfriend and my sister answered without skipping a beat that I had a cute boyfriend. Apparently it was the subject of discussion for a bit. Her friend who was quiet asked my sister if she was okay with me being gay. She responded saying, "What's the big deal? Who cares if he's dating a guy or a girl. Nothing really changed. He's still my big brother. And he's not scary at all, he's like a big teddy bear!"
The kids quickly agreed that they thought it was cool. The quiet kid eventually came out to his friends seeing that they were not going to exile him for being gay. He eventually came out to his parents (whom now hate my sister since they think she turned thier only son gay).
I never once thought being out would ever help anyone come out. I came out for myself because I wanted a chance to date a guy and not be ashamed of it. I never saw myself as a role model, but my sister made it clear that I am someone that people look up to. It made me wonder if I had helped others come out of the closet too without realizing it.
I'm interested to know if others have done something similar experiences
