I don’t know what to do. My religion does not permit being gay, but I’ve always have feelings for girls- and I’m a girl. I know my family and friends do not approve. But I want to love who I love. I don’t know how to express myself without getting my family mad! I also feel very bad whenever I have feelings for a female, because it is against my religion. Help!
THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW:
- Thanks for joining our TeenCentral community and thank you for sharing what you are going through. While your experience is unique, you might find from our stories that you are not alone. Search through some of our stories to see that many teens struggle with sexuality and also communicating with feeling.
- If you need someone to talk to, you can head to the Teen Central website and click the HELP tab to call one of the LGBT hotlines like Trevor Project Lifeline and Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender National Help Center. You can also speak to a trusted therapist or school counselor. You can also learn more about Sexuality on our LEARN tab.
- What we can tell you is that Coming Out is a very deeply personal thing and only you can decide when the right time is. Consider though, as you said, some people may struggle with initially understanding you amazing story. In order to have effective communication, try not to make assumptions on how someone will react without evidence. Give people the benefit of the doubt as they may surprise you, just like many religions whom people “think” will not accept them for being homosexual may have churches, youth groups, synagogues, mosques, who do. Surround yourself with positive friends and experiences. Can you bounce ideas off of a supportive peer or loved one before trying the discussion with your family?
- You can try being more spiritual by doing prayer, meditation or yoga. These techniques are often used to calm the body, mind and spirit. Spirituality often does make your life more meaningful, give you a sense of purpose and safety, and help you be more accepting of why others are so negative in life. Spirituality can teach you that life is full of lessons worth learning from.
WHAT YOU CAN TRY WHEN YOU ARE UP FOR IT:
- Sometimes society/people don’t accept us as we are. This can make it difficult for anyone to express their feelings. Be yourself by expressing your feelings in a healthy way through creativity. Some activities you might like are creative writing, drawing, painting, playing a musical instrument or listening to music. You might find a few more ideas on ways to be creative by scrolling through our WHAT’S NEW tab and our TOOLS tab. If you have other great ideas of things that work, we would love to hear them.
- In what ways can having a positive mindset improve your life now and help you have a better future? How can being yourself more help you feel less stifled by the judgement of others?
- Thanks again for sharing you story with TeenCentral, we hope you found some useful resources and a place to relieve some of the weight on your shoulders. Take care of yourself, and have a positive day!
