I never really fitted in...

I always had different interests then peers and was not shy to hide this. I had a period of trying to fit in, in my teenage years, but I grew out of that. Coming out was one of the things that helped with that. I firstly came out to a friend after being very sure of myself and wanting to share that part of myself, because it felt as the next step of self-acceptance.

I feared for telling my parents...

and other people who might get into contact with them. Or people that I didn’t know 100% sure of how they would react, because in the area I grew up in, most of the time people were not that queer friendly. I am still carrying the after damage of the experience. Coming out made a huge impact on my life. By coming out, I opened up a lot of doors to opportunities and new experiences, however to achieve this, a lot of doors also had to be closed. It felt very freeing, but at the same time very sad. Because I had gained a lot, but also lost so much at the same time. And I still struggle with the aftermath even now. And I don’t think it will pass away completely. But I am trying to accept the fact that some things cannot go back to how they were and find peace with that.

My story alas is a sad story...

that doesn’t mean that is has to go that way for you. I just got unlucky. But that’s okay, in the end it is the best decision I have made for myself. My student-life actually helped me in the process of coming out. By meeting like-minded people I got the courage to do something that had to be done to stop the hiding. This made me feel good, because now the difference was that I was comfortable and proud to be in a “non-normative” position