Getting Stuck In the Closet Door

[Atrum_Anima]

The first step out of the closet is the hardest, but to me, the most comforting. My first "step" was actually a "push" by my sister when she found out (while prying through my computer she found some *ahem* reading material). Then, I came out to my best friend via note, let her tell some other close friends, and changed my Facebook to say "Interested in: Men". Of course, this was all spread out over a couple years.
A few minutes ago, I came out on Facebook in a more obvious way, via status update. (The status was, "-_- I'm gay. Deal with it." XD)

But this is just another step. My family is still unaware, except for my sister. My cousins may be aware if they read my status update, but still.

I'm curious: How many of you are only partially out of the closet? Completely in the closet? Completely out of the closet?
For allies, how many of you see your lgbt friend(s) going through the stages of coming out? Were any of you stepping stones?  

[Desmond Belmont]

I'm partially out of the closet leaning towards gay but I am Bi right now for I am attracted to SOME very slim amount of girls but mainly guys. Recently came out to close friends with a nice little nudge out the door abit by a friend who recently came out as well. As of now no one mainly on facebook knows except for a few people. I have yet to do that Interested in Men part on FB yet for I have some family friended on there and dont want to alert them.

If I do come out I will do it without them knowing my removing them from my FB so I can freely come out there.  

[RowenthaDark]

i was the first person my best guy freind told he was gay, and then he told our other freind, and then the last one. the first day of the next school year he came out to everybody in the school. he wore his sister's clothes and to be honest, me and my other freinds had thougth he was really a girl xD

i was also the first person that my BEST BEST freind told that she was bi, and she told our gay freind after that and we kept it from the last one for a little while because we didnt know how she would react. she hasnt come out to anyone else except her girlfreind.

...so i guess i am a stepping stone for my freinds, and it kinda makes me happy that my freinds trusted me about it and asked for my advice before they went to anyone else.  

[airforce_freak6678]

I am partially out of the closet. Here on gaia I am out, to my friends (who have inquired about relationships, or about it directly) I am out (really if you ask I will tell), to my sisters I am out, to my cousins I am out, to the grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles, I am not.

My first step was at Disney World two years ago, I was in my room with my older sister and my cousin. We were being us and just joking around about random stuff, and I was speaking in a stereotypical gay voice (you know the lisp and everything), they were like "you know you do that too well", then they said something (I dont remember what it was) basically jokingly calling me gay, and I responded "Not exactly". In the end my cousin hugged me and told me that she too was bi, and my sister just hugged me and well I don't remember what she said.

Then November of last year I entered my first real relationship with a guy, and I changed my relationship status on facebook, which prompted some inquires in school by friends about who he was and such, which is how I came out to one of my friends (the first one), other times it just came up in conversation. Although the most interesting one was in a conversation about virginity... but I wont go into detail there.  

[finfageek]

Completely out. It was...kind of an interesting journey, but I did it...not willingly either XD but still. I'm glad I did smile  

[Boys Chore]

My mother is starting to notice that I act "different" than most guys.  

[HandsomeStanly]

*scratches head* well, I'm like half way out I supose, though I'm still in the stage where I'm figuring it out, at the moment I think I'm just gay /: but anyway. Yeah I told my mum one night, which was difficult.... but she forgot -.-''  

[SlimShady777]

Personally...... im straight and i dont really know many gay people........ i just always hated the way homophobes (yes i admit, i used to be SLIGHTLY homophobic) treated them and acted toward them  

[Atrum_Anima]

SlimShady777

Personally...... im straight and i dont really know many gay people........ i just always hated the way homophobes (yes i admit, i used to be SLIGHTLY homophobic) treated them and acted toward them

Don't feel too bad about once being a homophobe. I used to be a homophobe, and I'm gay! XD  

[rocker16x]

It took like 2 years for me to completely be out. You know.. Of course there's some places I don't express it as much as family events and workplace. But everyone knows... It helps that I'm with someone and I came out because I didn't want them to think I was ashame of being with him. But yeah I took my time, telling only a few then, Facebook status were a bit questionable then the interested in b n g... But I'm glad I did it.. It's hard you know, but once you go through it you'll be glad you did.  

[Archestra Peiyrui]

My coming out was kind of sudden before it quickly slowed down to an almost-stop, and is now slowly going along.

The first time I came out was to a guy I liked before going along to tell my closest friends that I was gay. They of course had no problems because they had a few gay friends, as well as a gay family member for one of them.

I've done the whole Facebook status and Facebook information thing so pretty much everyone I have on there should know. I'm suspecting only a few don't because I added them after the fact, or because they don't pay attention to the Interested In: section of the info page.

I am still in the closet to my family members, and I know they won't be able to see my Facebook because they are Koreans who can only speak intermediate English and don't have a Facebook. I can definitely say that they probably don't even know the existence of, or what Facebook even is. Heck, it took my mother three whole months and five phone bills to explain what Unlimited Text-Messaging was.  

[Mistress Le Gasp]

Well, ahem...
I really have no idea what I am, and a few of my close friends have helped me out a lot with that, but my mom overheard a conversation, and now thinks I'm lesbian (like, entirely) and she kinda hates me for it.
So, I'm partially out of the closet of I-have-no-idea-what-the-hell-is-going-on.
I think?  

[The Ever-Changing Me]

I'm pansexual and completely out smile

My mom went through an extremely religious phase for a few years and tried to force me into it. I explained that I was atheist and that she should just do her thing and leave me the hell alone...which erupted into a two year war between us. She eventually calmed down and left me alone about it, but after going through that, I was terrified to come out to her.

Eventually, I did it anyway; I was fifteen and figured that if she freaked out on me, I could go crash at some random person from my marching band's place. We're pretty cool like that. I hadn't heard the term pansexual at that time, so I told her that I was bi. She took it surprisingly well. It was awkward whenever I pointed out a cute actress in a movie or something, but she's gotten used to it. We were doing laundry yesterday and I refused to go up to the door because there were like five bees hovering around it (I HATE bees). She said "What are you doing?" I pointed at the bees and shook my head, and she was like "I thought you liked boo-bees!" I cracked up and said "Boobies, I don't mind, but bees... Bees just suck!"

She is my only family, so I moved on to my friends. The majority of the people I hang out with found out on Day of Silence my sophomore year. My buddy Josh asked me if I was gay or just supporting the cause. Jeremy, I think, jumped in and was like "Of ourse she's not gay, blah blah blah." I shook my head and worte "I am pansexual. It means I can like/love/be attracked to people of any gender." They were kinda stunned and Josh went through a phase where he called me a f*****t every time he saw me, but it went pretty well. My best friend is a really devout Catholic, and she was the most accepting person there. I even asked her if my not being straight bothered her and she said she didn't care.

After that, I just didn't hide it. One day at a band competition, the field was lined so badly that I said to my section leader: "No wonder we messed up the spacing! That field's about as straight as I am!" He hadn't known, but he was cool with it. Then it just kinda spread through the band and almost no one cared. Our best trumpet player from a few years back was gay and our trombone section leader is bi, so it wasn't that shocking to them.  

[Sarah_L_Awesome]

more or less out, my distant family, or family distant from our location, who haven't seen me in a while might not know, whereas someone who has seen me within the past few months, figures it out pretty damn quickly  

[weecest]

I Guess You Can Say...Im...Holding The Knob Of That Closet Ready To Open The Entire Door.
The Only People In My Life That Know Im Bi, Is My Sister, And Two Of My Best Friends Whom Are Also Bi.
And Obviously My Girl =)

But I Did Mention To My Mom A Few Nights Ago, That I Had Found Out (Via Facebook) That A Guy From Church Was Bi(and this guy was trying to get in my pants) And The Way She Reacted Was Kinda Harsh Because She Believes "Gay People Are Going To Hell".
And She Strictly Forbid Me From Actually Getting Close To Him, Relationship Wise. Because According To Her Its Gross >:/
And If She Only Knew...