As you may have already seen, CelebMix Cares has been celebrating LGBT Pride Month all June. With the month now coming to an end, we thought that it was important to leave a message for anyone out there who’s struggling with their LGBTQ+ identity.
It’d be an understatement to say that we live in a beautifully diverse world. With billions of people on the planet, it’s no surprise that we all have different feelings and thoughts – that’s what makes the world so wonderful. Two things that can play on your mind and tug on your heart strings more than most are: sexual orientation and gender identity.
Coming to terms with your own sexuality and gender identity can be one of the hardest things that someone does in their life. In a period of uncertainty about who you are, taking on the world can seem incredibly daunting. While labels can help to understand and explain how you feel, it’d be impossible to describe everyone’s complex human emotions in a limited number of categories so don’t worry if you feel like you don’t relate to purely one label or any label for that matter. Never feel the need to conform.
Once you’ve realised and accepted who you are, the next step for many people is often to share the news with someone they trust. There’s no denying that coming out or taking the first step to see a doctor about gender re-assignment surgery can be incredibly nerve-wracking but it can also be very rewarding. When do you do it? How do you do it? Who do you tell first? The answer to all of those questions is to do it when you feel comfortable and when you’re sure that it’s safe to do so. It’s your decision so do it on your own terms.
No two coming out stories are exactly the same. You can come out to the whole world, just one person or decide to keep your feelings a secret. There’s no set rules, no set age and no set time. Do it when you feel ready but at the same time, make sure that you’re safe. Safety is very important. Unfortunately, not all countries have laws in protection for people who identify as LGBTQ+. In some places, people are arrested or even attacked just for being who they are but this is something that will hopefully change in time. As a whole, globally speaking, we’re slowly moving in the right direction for equality.
Talking of negative reactions, it’s essential to make sure that ignorant comments from closed-minded people don’t bring you down. That’s sometimes easier said than done and we hope that you won’t have to come face to face with bigotry but remember this: people who discriminate are the ones with the problem – not you!
Your world may sometimes feel like a very lonely place and you might feel that no-one really understands you or accepts you but you’d be wrong in thinking that. You’re never alone – there’s millions of people out there in the world who feel exactly the same way you do and there’s millions of people who will love you for you. Whether it’s a relationship you seek or just friendly companionship, finding those people and building that support base is often what helps people tackle the hardest of times.
Even after coming out, life isn’t always easy but those hardships will only make you stronger. If you’re struggling with your LGBTQ+ identity, there’s lots of places online to anonymously receive support. Empty Closets is one of the most popular forums; simple things like reading other people’s experiences can sometimes help in a huge way.
Always know that, here at CelebMix, we love you for you. Never feel ashamed about who you are. The world is your oyster so take it by the hands and live your life how you want. You may be going through a hard time right now and we’re sorry for that but trust us when we say that it really does get better. Keep being you. Don’t change for anyone and don’t be afraid to show your true colours. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. Love is love.
We’ll end this message with an inspiring song by openly gay singer Eli Lieb. His self-empowering track ‘Lightning In A Bottle’ is all about showing the world who you truly are and it’s certainly struck a chord with the LGBTQ+ community for all of the right reasons.
Make sure you follow @CelebMixCares on Twitter for more articles like this. Each month, we share heartwarming stories by highlighting different charity initiatives!