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Proud of you x I have always known my beautiful son. I am happy you have met a wonderful husband who is now part of my family. Xx

Thank you for sharing your story. A similar thing happened to me in my early 30s. Even though I was already out to my immediate family, I dated a guy who outed me to not only my extended family, but to a whole bunch of strangers. It was a very traumatic experience for my immediate family for that to happen. That relationship ended very quickly and to this day, my relatives treat me differently, but I'm okay with it, because I'm comfortable in my own skin. If anyone doesn't want to get to know me because I'm gay, so be it. This is who I am, love me or leave me.

You seem to be a beautiful man, inside and outside. Your honesty and dignity are inspiring. Your voice and body language is almost hypnotizing.

Courage is what you displayed here, my friend. Wish I was as courageous as you. Love from Texas.

Our coming out stories are so spot on..it's a little crazy. I was forced out when I was 18 and a senior in high school. I was terrified of anyone ever finding out in school because the handful of gay kids at my school were treated horrible and were social outcasts. Not only from my classmates, but I was terrified of my family finding out as well. I knew I was different from a fairly young age..5 or so. I didn't know what it was..I just knew I was different from other boys. As I got older..around 12/13 ..I knew that I was gay. I'm the last and only male in my family to carry on the name and I felt a huge amount of pressure to continue the line. I seemed to be the token favorite of my grandparents. I was very self aware. When I was 15 I wrote a contract out between myself and God that I wouldn't be gay and that I would marry a woman and have kids. I even signed and dated it. Lol ..I feel so sad for that kid. I've always been a good natured, loving, and understanding guy...so I never deserved what had happened to me. I started becoming popular my freshman year of high school. I was my class's president for 3years and student body president my senior year...homecoming king...etc. I made good grades...in honors classes..was on the golf team..student council..honor society...etc etc. My best friend was a year ahead of me...and when he started college we both came out to each other on the same night. It was so nice having his support and we always built each other up. I sarted going to a few gay parties with him and a girl he had graduated with was at one of these parties. Although I didnt know her...she knew me. She had a younger sister that was a sophomore at my school. Most people knew who I was from being student body president...and she started telling people I was at this gay party and that I was gay. I must have been dancing with a guy at the party...or something lol..for her to draw that conclusion. My friends all started coming to me asking if I had heard what people were saying about me. I hadnt...but the proceeded to tell me that this girl was saying I was at this party..and that I was gay. As you did...I totally just shut down and felt like the world was crashing down around me. Around this same time I had met my first ever boyfriend...I was head over heels for him. I never experienced those feelings before...its like a natural high. That's probably why I said "fuck it...yeah I'm gay...who cares?" I was hoping that maybe it wouldn't have been such a big deal to people...but I was wrong about that. I had never dealt with being bullied like I was. Guys would push me down the stairs...slam me into lockers...they wrote "faggot" on my locker...yelled"faggot" down the hallways. They would pour pop on my car...that was a brand new mustang that I paid for myself by working...they keyed "faggot" on it...drew pictures. All of my guy friends dropped me...friends I had since elementary school...they wouldnt even look at me. I had just a small group of girlfriends that stood by me.But the worst part is when they started calling my parents house phone...leaving messages on the answering machine...saying the worst things about me ever. I had to rush home every day after school to delete the messages because I was terrified of my parents or sister finding out. I would get text messages all the time from people harassing me. I even got letters in the mail from people. It was awful. :( It got so bad I was forced to tell my mom about it...she knew something was wrong..but she had no idea of everything that was happening. She said she knew that I was gay from the time I was a little boy and that she loved me no matter what...which was wonderful to hear. But when I told her about school. ..I've never seen her so upset and emotional in my entire life. She had a meeting w me and the principals...and their only suggestion was to get my last english credit and graduate early. I went from being student body president...to a complete social outcast..in a matter of only 5 or 6months. It was like my world was flipped upside down. It destroyed me...and I turned to things that would take the pain away...that I would never have done under normal circumstances. I started using drugs...and I shut everyone out of my life for several years. I'm 34 now...and those experiences still affect me..but I've learned to deal with it in healtheir ways. I've been in recovery for 8 years now and things are a lot better. I cried when I was listening to your story...because I know that kind of pain. It's the most lonely feeling in the entire world. Thank you for sharing...I know that it will help those that have experienced it...or are now just going through it. That we aren't alone...its something that should bond people together. Sorry for the book! Lol..I just had to comment!

Wow that guy was terrible... a gentleman shouldn't kiss and tell.

Indeed. You’re better having one good friend than lots of shallow people who don’t have your back.

OMG!! Your story is wow!!! Sorry for that !! :(

Sorry to hear that you were forced out but I hope you were able to stay true to yourself since then, happier on who you are, with your husband too. You have some good advice too.

You are the winner. Periodt!!

I am 53 and I still have issues about being gay.

You dont deserve to be outed in a way like that. No one should ever be forced to come out. And I'm glad that you handled it even tho what happened. You deserve goodness.

I did for a long time too, being a fireman and a paramedic really made it even harder...I was forced out too, feel ya, hang in there, so much love

Sorry you were outed by someone else. Not cool! One should only come out when one’s ready to do so. Live your truth. Be happy! Together for 44 years. :)

Learning to love oneself is sometimes a ongoing process. This is what you struggle with.

People can be so mean!! Thankfully we aren't in those kinds of situations anymore <3

You're so brave for telling this story! You are a beautiful soul and you need to know that! I hope you are happy, safe and healthy :)

So proud of you and Daniel! Keep doing what you do.

So well put! You lose the negative in your life. My fam have taken a while. Lots of travel left. These sorts of vids always encourage me.