Then there's the question of whom to tell first. Coming out to a trusted friend or family member is an enormous test of that trust, and it requires mutual respect—you've been thinking about this conversation for a while, but it may come from out of the blue to someone else, so keep that in mind and give the person room to react. Read the many Queeries and Straight Talks in this section to help you prepare.

There are plenty of ways to come out, and no one way is better than any other. Some people blurt it out in a pent-up burst of emotion; others craft careful letters of explanation and revelation, while others toss their ìnewsî off as casually as a Facebook update or a tweet. How you handle your own coming out is completely up to you.

Remember that you'll be coming out for the rest of your life—to your parents, your siblings, your fellow students or co-workers, your neighbors, your teachers, your doctor, maybe even the dry cleaner. It gets easier each time, but you'll always want to do it with respect and kindness, expecting the same in return. Also keep in mind that every time you come out, you not only help yourself by shedding some of the burden of living in the closet, you also help the entire LGBT community. Because the more the world sees us, the more weíre out and about living our lives as healthy, happy individuals (and families!), the more we shine the light on outdated notions that have claimed otherwise.