Country & City: St. John's, NL, Canada
Name/nickname: Kris/Damien
Age: 16
Gender: Boy, Guy
What did you come out as (gay, bi, transgendered, use any terms you like here)? At first I came out as gay (never lesbian) and then trans
What other words would you use to describe yourself? Eccentric, childish, impish, dashing, charming, jackass, sock monkey, trannyboy
How old were you when you first realized your identity? Well apparently I was informing my parents that I was a boy since I could talk, but after a while with them correcting me I let it go, though I never felt right. I s'pose I finally put it all together at 15
How old were you when you first told someone? I came out as gay to my friends at 13, and then as trans to my girlfriend at 15
Did you plan it? If so, how? I didn't really plan it, though I knew I had to do it. I'd brought it up before, before I was actually sure. And then when I knew, one day I was at my girlfriend's house and I just needed to tell her. So I suggested we go for a walk, and well yeah.
What made you choose that person to tell? Well not only is she my girlfriend, but she's my best friend. There was sort of a sense that she deserved to know, but even on top of that, she was really the only person it seemed logical to talk to. And I've never kept anything from her before this, so why start?
Can you remember exactly what you said? I remember going really quiet and just walking with my hands in my pockets. She asked me what I was thinking. There were all these things rushing around my head, all the different things to say. I hadn't quite settled what to say before I'd opened my mouth and  just said "I'm trans." And that was it.
How did you feel? I was really nervous and not at the same time. As afraid as I was that she'd think I was a freak, I knew deep down she wouldn't care. And she didn't.
What was the person’s reaction? She was quiet for a second then grabbed my hand and said "I know. And I still love you, if you were worried." Then she gave me a hug. It was amazing. Even though I knew she'd be okay in the end, I kinda expected a bit more drama. Though I can't say I'm disappointed.
What was your relationship with the person like afterwards? If anything, we're closer. She's still my girl, and my best friend. She said she's gonna be there when I tell my parents everything. Honestly, she's been the most supportive and helpful person ever. I don't really know where I'd be right now without her.
What’s it like now? Amazing
If you’ve been outed unwillingly, who did it? I was, back  when I was coming out as gay. To my knowledge, none of the people I've told that I'm trans have said anything. And if they have, I can't really see myself caring. I've never been big on stealth. It's on my facebook, all my statuses refer to me as he, him or his. It's a part of who I am. There's no real drama in coming out for me, I just prefer to let the people I care about hear it from me. Though I am worried about how my parents are gonna take it.
If you’ve experienced homophobia etc, please give an example. Well there's been incidents of being called a dyke, lesbo, fag, etc. There was also an occasion on a bus when a lady told her son not to go near "people like that."  Though I've never really let it bother me too much. I honestly don't care what people think of me. For the most part however, I've found a generally positive attitude. Especially when I'm with my girlfriend, we tend to get a lot smiles and approving nods.
Since coming out, how “out” are you in the following areas of your life:
Educational institution: Well I'm in high school, so people tend to make a big deal of other people's business. I've only told a few of my friends so far, but this is due more to convenience than anything. I know there have been rumors about me, and a lot of people want to know what the hell I am, but I really don't care. If they want to know badly enough they can ask me.
Job: I don't currently have a job, but I was out as gay at my last one.
Family: This seems to be my biggest downfall. I've always had a hard time talking to my family, and I'm not exactly looking forward to having to tell them that some of the biggest parts of the past years have been an illusion.
Friends: I'm not entirely out to my friends yet, in fact it's only a few that I've actually told directly. So far everything's been pretty positive. And I'll hopefully be telling everyone else once school starts again, and I start seeing them more often. It's more a matter of convenience.
What does being out mean to you? To me it's just taking being comfortable with yourself to the next level. It's just showing that you know who you are, and you're okay with it, and you want everyone else to be too. It's not hiding any parts of yourself for someone else's sake. In reality, it's being free. If you really think about it, hiding your sexuality to protect someone else's comfort is like hiding your sense of humor, or your preference of food.
What differences, if any, did your cultural background make to your experience of coming out?
What does the concept of the closet mean to you? It's fear. It's self loathing. It's locking up parts of yourself, trying to "fix" yourself, when really there's absolutely wrong in the first place. It's trapping yourself in your mind, torturing yourself worse than anyone else ever could. Put simply, it's Hell.
What advice would you give someone wanting to come out? Do it. Don't wait, don't worry. Everything always seems so much worse than it ever could be. Just remember, no matter who or what you are, you have a right to be happy. And if you're scared of your family, just remember for every "I came out and the world came crashing down" story there's at least ten "I came out and absolutely nothing happened" which can be pretty reassuring.
If you could do it all again, would you do it any differently? If so, how? I'd do it sooner, and I wouldn't worry. I spent a long time torturing myself, convinced that my girlfriend was going to leave me for being a freak, even though deep down I knew she loved me, and could never be so shallow. I'd had myself worked into this crazed frenzy, and no matter how much I tried to see reason, I couldn't shake the ridiculous worries. Also, I'd have never come out as gay. Just as a straight guy.