So, funny enough, I didn’t even really “come out” in the traditional sense. There wasn’t some big announcement or grand gesture; it just sort of… happened over time. Growing up, I never felt like I fit into what everyone expected of me, but I also wasn’t the type to wear my heart on my sleeve. My family is pretty old-school, but not in a “fire-and-brimstone” way—more like, they just never talked about stuff like sexuality. Ever. It was all kind of swept under the rug, you know? So, I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I dated a few girls in high school, went to prom, the whole thing. It wasn’t miserable or anything, but it felt like I was going through the motions.

It wasn’t until college, when I had my first real crush on a guy, that I started to piece it together. And, honestly, it freaked me out at first. I wasn’t the kind of person who wore rainbow pins or joined protests—not because I didn’t support it, but because it just didn’t feel like me. I thought that if I wasn’t loud about it, maybe I didn’t have to deal with it. So, I told one person: my roommate. He was chill about it—just nodded, said, “Cool, man,” and went back to his homework. That moment was kind of huge for me. I realized I didn’t need some massive declaration; I just needed someone to know.

Over time, more people figured it out. I’d drop hints in conversations or just be honest if it came up naturally. My parents took a while to catch on. My mom asked why I wasn’t dating anyone, and I just said, “I’m not really into dating girls anymore.” She froze for a second, then said, “Okay,” like she was trying to figure out how to feel about it in real-time. My dad, surprisingly, was the one who came around first. He told me, “You’re still you, so it’s not a big deal to me.” It was understated, but it meant everything.

Now, I’m just… me. I’m not shouting it from the rooftops, but I’m not hiding it, either. I’ve dated a little, but mostly, I’m just focusing on figuring out who I am and what I want out of life. It’s not some flashy story with a big happy ending, but it’s mine. I’m comfortable in my skin for the first time, and that’s enough for me.

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