Top Tips for Coming Out: Never Apologize for Who You Are

Alex Mustoe, Leadership Recruitment Sourcer, and Eszter Dimitrow, Interim Knowledge Management Lead at Wise spoke to myGwork about their top tips for coming out as LGBTQ+. Whether it’s to family and friends, colleagues or employers, it’s an important part of every LGBTQ+ person’s journey when they come out. Alex and Eszter’s top tips provide experienced advice for those who are struggling to open up.

Alez Mustoe, Leadership Recruitment Sourcer
 

Instead of “coming out” you could think of it more as “letting people in”. You are in control of your own journey, you aren’t confessing anything, you are simply sharing a part of who you are.
 

Coming out/letting people in, doesn’t need to be a big announcement if you don’t want it to be. Just mentioning a partner, a date or someone you find attractive on TV can be enough, especially when meeting new people.

It’s okay to not understand how you feel, so take all the time you need, there is no rush. 
 

Be patient and kind to yourself because you are perfect and the people you tell are lucky to have you in their lives. 
 

Your health and wellbeing have to be your number one priority 
 

I believe the people that truly love you will still and always will love you. For some it may take some time, but never apologize for who you are. 
 

Eszter Dimitrow, Interim Knowledge Management

Coming out can be nerve-wrecking, especially because it’s not a one-time thing – you “have to” come out to every single new person you meet, throughout your whole life. I know how difficult it is, but picture something even more difficult: not being your true self, and sometimes even straight-up lying about who you are. 

 
If you’re nervous, think about all the times you’d have to worry about making sure you hold your tongue about your private life every time someone asks what you did at the weekend? Imagine having to hide your partner from your colleagues or your parents. Imagine the worry of running into a friend on the street and introducing your soulmate as only your friend. 

By coming out, you’re protecting yourself and your loved ones from all of this. Be strong and make the world a better place by being true to yourself!