matt
Newbie
Posts: 1
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Post by matt on Apr 27, 2022 13:32:23 GMT
Hi! I'm Matt, a 21 year old gay guy from Belfast. I have been struggling a lot recently with my sexual orientation. I have know that I was gay from the age of 13, and have been keeping it to myself for the past 8 years - which has been exhausting. In the past few weeks I have told 4 of my closest friends, one of which I knew was gay. Everyone I told was very supportive, and another one of them actually told me that he was gay. I am the sort of person I struggle to talk about my thoughts and feeling, especially in person. I am just looking to chat with people and get there support and experiences to help me feel more at ease with myself. Matt
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Post by Piltover on Apr 29, 2022 10:16:18 GMT
Hi Matt, Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to the forums! I remember coming out to friends for the first time. I'd also known for quite a while but I waited until the time felt right for me, and even then it's a tough task. You should be so proud of yourself for opening up your authentic self to other people in your life. It's a huge step forward for someone who by their own admissions struggles to talk about their own thoughts and feelings. I don't know if you've met many other queer people yet but everyone has their own story. Some come out quite quickly after coming to understand their sexuality or gender identity, other people take years, some people don't come out till much later in life. The common theme among them is that the vast majority don't regret it one iota. I certainly don't. If you're looking to chat with other people about your experiences then feel free to post around the forums. There are some lovely people on here and I'm sure you'll get a replies. I know you say you're not great in person, but there might also be some LGBTQ+ community groups in your local area where you can chat to other people. It might help you navigate your own experience. It seems that The Rainbow Project in Belfast does run some events: www.rainbow-project.org/events/ but also they might be able to direct you to some other places where you can talk locally. Try not to worry, the first little while after coming out to people can be overwhelming but everything gets easier with time. I've been out for 18 years now and still have zero regrets. If you'd like to talk to someone over the phone about your experience then you can call LGBT IE on 1800 929 539. Sometimes it can help to run though your thoughts with a stranger. Love and solidarity Piltover
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