I tried coming out at 18. It didn’t go so well. I told my best friend… who then never spoke to me again. It was embarrassing, we were doing the same training scheme and would bump into each other. He completely ignored me.
I was glad when that year was over, I went off to university and never saw him again. I do wonder about him sometimes, and did a little digging. He appears to have completely vanished.
After that, in my first year at uni I had an awful experience and nailed the closet door shut until I was 26.
I had a seizure that was… misunderstood by the people I was with and my own escape was to clam up completely about it for some years.
I did eventually talk to a therapist who gave me a good explanation, it just took some time.
I’m sorry for how your family reacted.
My mother cried. It was hard. She tried to deny it. I was really hoping she would help me and even be happy for me, but she was devastated. She said she would always love me and she didn’t call me any names, but that was the best I got for years.
My aunt and Uncle, who I was working for at the time, were just kinda shocked. They gave a tepid “we hope this makes you happy.”
All my friends were cool. Nearly all my coworkers were cool. A couple years later, when I came out to my new job to transition full time, management was super cool. They did everything I asked and used my new name from day one.
I had some rough spots, lost touch with some of my family. But overall I was prepared for much worse. Many years later, my mother, aunt, and uncle, were much warmer and supportive at my wedding.
So all’s well that ends well.