My Coming Out | Teen Ink

My Coming Out MAG

June 5, 2015
By IzzyBomb BRONZE, Alameda, California
IzzyBomb BRONZE, Alameda, California
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you can't stand up, stand out." - Mike Schlappi


Most people don’t know this about me, but I’m not straight. I’m pansexual. No, I’m not attracted to pans – don’t even try that joke. “But, Izzy, what the frick frack diddly dack is pansexual?” you ask. Well, to put it bluntly, it means attraction regardless of gender. Yes, I know, that sounds like bisexuality. Well, it’s not. Bisexuality is attraction to boys and girls. But here’s the kicker. There are more than two genders! Yes, shocking, I know. There are many genders, and pansexuality includes all of them – transgender, non-binary, agender, bigender, gender fluid, and cisgender, to name a few. Now that I’ve tried to explain pansexuality, I can tell you my story.

When I was seven I learned what a lesbian was. I kept wondering, Am I a lesbian? Girls are cute, but some boys are cute too. Bisexual? But nothing really fit what I was feeling. Around 10 years old I learned there were other gender identities. I was like, “That’s cool, you’re all cute.” Then when I was 12, I met Kayla at summer camp. Kayla was pansexual. I thought that was cool, so I Googled it. It was what I felt. I had finally found it! After a lot of stressing about what people would say, I came out this year, at age 14.

Unlike in the media, people don’t just come out once. You’re always meeting new people. The first time I came out was to my best friend, Julia. We were looking through pictures and I said, “She’s cute.”

Julia replied, “No homo though, right?”

And I said, “Maybe homo?”

“Okay,” she said.

And that was that. I explained more later, but that was basically it. If you can’t tell, I’m the master at coming out.

The second time I came out was to my mom and brother. We had just left the McDonald’s drive-thru. My mom forgot my brother’s ketchup, and they were yelling about it. After a couple minutes I just snapped.

“I’M PANSEXUAL!” I yelled.

“Okay, honey,” my mom said hugging me.

Then they went back to arguing about the ketchup.

The third time I came out was when my class was brainstorming a project. I was nervous and my palms were sweating. These were my friends, my peers, and I didn’t want them to hate me. I figured I might as well do it; I’d have to tell them some time. Anyway, I’d have something to write about if I did. I waited for my turn to give an idea, as I internally screamed.

“Izzy, what are you writing about?” Ms. Noble coaxed.

“Mycomingoutstory,” I said quickly, the words jumbled together. Well, it probably didn’t sound like that, because I speak really slow, but it sounded like that in my head. Anyway, the class went deathly quiet. You could feel the awkwardness in the air. My specialty, awkwardness. Ms. Noble wrote “coming out of the closet” on the board, and inside my head I was screaming, “I HAVE THE POWER. THE POWER OF GAY.” The class started to talk again, and I started to breathe again.

Really, I’m the master at coming out.


The author's comments:

The deadline. It was a school thing.


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This article has 4 comments.


on May. 21 2017 at 7:44 pm
nerdficus SILVER, Pembroke Pines, Florida
6 articles 6 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." - A.A. Milne

This was really cool. PanPride.

on May. 10 2017 at 7:04 pm
Quiet_Thunder BRONZE, Random, Alaska
4 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
When my prayers to God were met with indifference, I picked up a pen. I wrote my own deliverance. -Hamilton

Omg. This is great. I love it. Thank you for writing it!

NatKirov said...
on Apr. 14 2016 at 11:51 pm
NatKirov, Los Angeles , California
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
All the graves of the ones remembered in a desert we call home/All the slaves of the cold December find a voice to call their own/ Stand up we are united in the eyes of the greatest storm/ Line up we are ignited, this world will be reborn

I am a 17 year old transgirl with Catholic parents. Thanks for sharing your story, as it has really helped me.

Shay<3 said...
on Aug. 29 2015 at 11:57 am
I haven't actually come out about being bi but after reading this now though, I fully understand pan and that's basically me. I don't disregard people that are different and love is real no matter what. I appreciate your story. It's got a touch if funny but truly it tells a lot. Thank you! :)