Need help straight away?
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
Hi there
Im really glad that you wrote to me about talking to your mum about your sexuality.
Its good to hear that you want to be open with your mum about this. Sometimes feeling that you have to keep something hidden about yourself can be really hard, like carrying a heavy weight around with you all the time.
The most important thing is for you to only share things about yourself because you want to and because you feel ready to do so. Coming out can send a really positive message that you know that being gay is okay. When you are thinking of what to say to your mum, it can be helpful to think about what you want her to understand.
It's important to remember that we cant always know how people will react and sometimes it might be more negative than wed hope. That can be really unhelpful and upsetting so its important that you feel ready to hear less helpful responses before you tell her. Dont be in a rush to label yourself you have just started to explore your sexuality. There is plenty of time to talk to her about your feelings if you dont feel ready at the moment.
Having a positive first experience of coming out may give you the confidence to tell other people when you feel ready. Theres some helpful information about coming out on our Sexuality page.
You could talk about this more with a ChildLine counsellor by calling free on 0800 1111, or by having a 1-2-1 chat online. You might also want to have a look at the sexuality thread on the ChildLine message boards where other young people talk about their experiences.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.