I'm coming out!!

A little more than 10 years ago, a Time magazine cover with Ellen DeGeneres on the cover proclaimed "Yep, I'm Gay". In August 2004, a New Jersey governor by the name of James McGreevey announced to the world, with his wife at his side, that he was indeed gay.

Years have passed for both of these public figures and they both appear to have moved on with their lives (Ellen with a top-rated talk show and McGreevey with a boyfriend and attending seminary school). Yet and still, everyday people who are not in the public eye have to wrestle with how to disclose to family and friends that they're a homosexual. They also have to grapple with the ramifications of providing such information.

In my personal experience, I've only had one close friend come out of the closet, so to speak. We attended middle and high school together and I did wonder at times, but I never pressed him about it. Then, during our college years, he began dating someone and spoke so highly of the person. He was in love. Now I'm not the most tactful person in the world, so I finally asked him this question: Are you talking about a he or a she? Of course, he told me it was a he. He also proceeded to tell me that I was one out of a small handful outside of his gay friends who was aware of his status. His mother didn't know and doesn't know to this day. Why? Because, he said, he is unsure of how she would react to such news and he wouldn't want to break her heart. From there, the conversation evolved into your basic relationship discussion about his mate.

While I was supportive of my friend, I've also known people who disowned friends or family members for stating their sexual orientation whether it was because of culture, personal beliefs or a fear of association.

Are you gay or a lesbian or are you close to someone who fits in these categories? If you are a homosexual, how did you tell those close to you of your orientation? If you're close to someone who is, how did they tell you? What was the reaction?