Safety during coming out (Reading)
- Choose someone who the client feels to be supportive to be the first person to come out to.
- The client should plan what they want to say, choose the safest time and place.
- The client should be prepared for an initial negative reaction from some people. Some individuals need more time to adjust to what they have heard.
- The client should not give up if the initial reaction is not what they wanted. The client has the right to be who they are, open about all important aspects of their identity – someone’s rejection does not prove the client’s lack of worth.
- If a client has come out to others whom they trust, it is good to talk afterwards about how things went. A client should find trusted allies to help them cope with their experiences.
- A client should get support and use the resources available: the local LGBTQI+ community, events etc.
