Coming Out Archive

[@joeydsandy]

Outstanding. You are making a difference, and you deserve all the best! My utmost respect and sincere thanks for what you're doing.

[@Cooperz89]

Dan, your videos are so awesome. This is one of your best coming out videos. =)

[@eutri]

You absolutely helped me out. Really. I don't feel really ready now, but seeing so many people that face the same problems that I do, it makes me feel better. You guys are literally saving my life... Thank you so much.

[@lawrence5584]

Dan, this is an amazing video. I watched this vid prior to my coming out, and it really gave me a lot of hope that I was not alone in my fears, and that there was a potential happy ending out there for me. Now over a year later, I'm out to everyone save my Mother and Grandparents, am in the fourth month of my relationship with a man I'm crazy in love with, and I've never been happier. Thank you so much for all you've done here.

[@shadowkitty1988]

Wow, such a great video---and I love your coming out story. It's so inspiring to me. I'm slowly coming out, one friend at a time. Unfortunately, a couple friends stopped being friends with me, but I have found that I've gained more friends by coming out :) Thank you for you story and advice, it was great to listen to.

[@dohchicken]

:D thank you! I'm glad I got it out early in my life (16) keeping that secret was really starting to effect me mentaly. I'm just glad I have amazing friends.

[@KrazyTymes]

Dan, I am so glad this archive is here to help people. Your early videos helped me so much in my coming out process. I am totally out now, and have never been happier, so thanks so much! I will be posting my own story as a response to this archive soon. Hopefully by this weekend!

[@xkrazydudex]

Great advice on the "come out when you're ready". Most times when that is an issue is when they're in a relationship and get pressured by their bf/gf and it's honestly not fair to yourself (not me personally, but I've seen it). Also about the "its not gonna change who you are, its gonna let you be who you are" is definately true - I've had people expect me to change who I was only because another friend of ours has changed after he came out. Great advice though bro, keep up the great vids!

[@GoddessOfWhatnot]

thank you for telling your story, dan. i admire your courage.

[@thezon]

dude these video responses are really helping me. thank you so much. you have know idea how much this means to me.

[@behold888]

You hit the nail on the head when you say it gives you more confidence and allows you to be the person you really are. When I came out, the rest of the world made sense, and I got this overwhelming feeling of "ok, now i get it". It's so hard to explain unless you've gone through something like coming out.

[@zoen23]

Great video, it's always nice to hear somewhat succesful coming out stories. I'm sorry to hear that the friend you were going out with was such a jerk about the situation, if you don't mind me saying so. It's so great that your parents were cool with it though.

[@Couver87]

I seriously watch your video and relate to a lot of what you say, you explain well in detail. Seriously, you explain some aspects of your comming out story that i completely agree with and that have happened to me too but I never took the time to think about it on that level. Nice vid.

[@RinStalker]

I'm happy for you Dan. It's great that your life changed for the better when you came out, that's awesome.I only wish it was the same for everyone. I have been out for over a year and it has been the worst decision of my life. It has ruined everything I've built for myself, wrecked relationships and nothing has made me feel more lonely and isolated. I didn't think about how much I would lose when I came out.I thought that it would make things better, but all it did was make everything worse.

[@rigatony22]

Everything you said just described how I feel about physical attraction to men yet emotional attraction to women. Ive recently started coming out to my friends and honestly, it opened up my eye to how lucky Im to have such great and supportive friends. Once you start coming you, you WILL feel so much better and confident and all around better and feel like youve lifted a burden off ur shoulders. But you have to do it when ur ready. Parents on the other hand, still a lil worried about that one.

[@xvrhernandez349]

I read a coming out story that made me cry. The kid came out to his dad and said I'm sorry for not being who he had expected him to be. His father got up and said "you were the same kid you were five minutes ago and your the same son now and nothing can change that" i started crying & thougt that is a great father...

[@tubetricky88]

Hey Dan, this video really helped me..I just recently came out..and everyone was great about it, I am really lucky! Keep making great videos they really do help people..x

[@TheWhimsicalX]

I'm in the process of coming out to my friends and family, and this video chain has helped a lot on how to do it! ^-^ Thanks for sharing it, as it has shown me the wrong ways and right ways to make the process easier on everyone involved (mostly me!)

[@cutemangamaniac]

your parents are amazing! every child should grow up in a caring and understanding environment like you did, no kid should ever be scared that there parents will hate them.

[@BadHair07]

You're right. It's crazy that we still live in a world where you need to go thru' a process of "coming out". I'd like to think it is becoming less and less necessary. My best friend came out to me when we were 14... Now 13 years later, he has yet to come out to some of the most important people in his life for fear of losing them. I can only begin to imagine what that must feel like.

[@digitalbamph]

Everyones comming out is different, some are difficult like mine was, others have accepting parents like my BF has. Only advice i have is that you need to choose friends carefully, keep them safe, and fight for your happiness. Make heartfelt judgements on what is right. When i came out, my friends all remained faithful, while my parents and family abandoned me. If you pick friends that are true and genuine, they will be your biggest supporters.

[@BIG21BAD]

Wow dude, i love what you did with this vid. I really related to the "super boost in self confidence" after i did come out. It was like damn,, so much weight came off my shoulders.

[@JoeyBoya]

Be out open and honest about whom you are! Spread the love

[@Elysia07]

My friend thought the same thing. And he's come out to us one by one, and neither of his friends treated him any differently. If anything it makes us closer to him, because when you're in the closet from your friends, it's like a wall between you, and you can not be as emotionally close as possible. He still hasn't come out to his family, but I know if he does he'll be so much happier. Carrying something around that huge in you has to be so burdensome. I wish you the best of luck.

[@akinathena]

Your story is very inspiring. You are a very brave person and you should be proud of yourself :)

[@RealVikingsWearKilts]

inspiring. I wish one of my friends would watch your vid. I'm pretty sure thanks to his mom and sister he's quite afraid. I've already assured him of my support.

[@petenycny]

I think his is a really great video. Your advice is right on target. I admire you maturity and common sense

[@choxiesangel]

Thanks for the support... ! Luv ya! Thank you for being you! IT will always get better!

[@stevereeeno]

Our stories are so similar! I was emotionally attached to girls, I realized when I was midway through high school, I told my best friend I was bi, I told my dad first and coming out to my mom didn't go as well. Ok, good talk.

[@PDohm123]

Great video. I wish I'd had this advice years ago when I came out to my family and friends. Will definitely subscribe and keep up with new developments for you!

[@pup_it_is]

your parents are awesome! kudos for posting this too

[@konrox]

UR DAD IS SOO KEWL!! OMFG! and ur parents are soooooo nice! ...ugh... i love ur parents!!

[@GDProphetXVII]

I'm glad this is helping you, that is what it is meant to do :)

[@shombiel]

You have a lot of wisdom and great advice! Thanks for the vid. and btw, you are so cute!

[@FangFiftyFive]

Beautifully put. I just came out to my rabbi earlier today.

[@qjazz28]

Great advice for people just coming out! He he, you looked straight until you started talking. You "talk" with your hands alot, I do too. That's what one of my friends said "tipped her off".

[@glafna]

Originally, came out to a not-so-good friend back in 9th grade, told him to keep it to himself, didn't work so well, but kept a lid on it. Then came out summer between grade 11 and 12 on facebook. Came with some good, some bad, but a lot of surprise. People as a whole taken it well, and no one came to my face about thinking badly of it, guess I was just lucky.

[@ironjohnlad]

Hi mate, you tell your story well, its brave and inspiring !

[@LordVolturnus]

Well, I just came out to my family. Society does not know. I still live hidden, but at least my family knows. That is a great step. Your video is not only interesting, but also important. Thank you. Lord Volturnus.

[@fmsmoothie]

You've done a great thing,.! All my love from the Heartland.

[@rickadams]

Great video, you are a lovely guy and this idea is so great, I hope it helps others be who they should be, Rick x

[@the0siren0of0night]

heya, i agree with you...coming out is the hardest thing to do, i came out to my friends last year...they were fine with it...and my uni friends found out when they saw my myspace page...xxx

[@matthewdearsley123]

This really helped me open up Doode, Peace and love and buming.

[@EduardoCachucho]

don't rush it, or think you have to do it. You will just know when the time is right.

[@Topgun4UKC]

Hi Dan...New Subscriber to you...LUV your video comments. I am from Kansas City and think you are One KEWL dude! You got it ALL, Handsome face, Killa Smile, HOT body and GREAT outlook on life! YOU were born with JOY in your heart...Let NO one or Nothing steal your JOY! May you carry Happiness and JOY thru-out 2009! PEACE! Happy New Year! Doug in KC

[@GMex107]

Wow, I wish my dad were like yours. I really do. It's a great thing what you're doing here. Congrats! I also like your other "We're gay but..." video. Keep it up.

[@ppmusic06]

I know what your saying! Being bi, and having come out, its harder than it seems. It took me forever to tell my parents. The first people I told were my closest friend, and they understood that this is part of who I am!

[@yarmo28]

Excellent and rational advice. I will never understand how parents can reject their own children over this issue. Perhaps your video might help parents too.

[@dolphin19913]

thank you for posting this! I'd love to post a coming out video, but I don't have a camera. I can really relate to alot of what you're saying though!

[@pinkyslippers]

thanx dude, this vid was definatly an inspiration. aha, and i can totally relate to the emotionally attracted to women and sexually attracted to men thing. im still trying to discover my feelings. i know my parents will accept it and im sure some of my friends will (i will probably lose some) but its still really hard cuz my biggest fear is that the ppl i care about will treat me differently because of it. anyhoo... thanx for the vid. tata xoxo.

[@bummercucumber]

That's cool about your dad. I've yet to come out to mine, but I hope he'll be half as accepting as yours is.

[@newfieguy2525]

I did the same. I told my bestfriends first and they were fine with it.. took me a long time though to tell my family, my parents know.. but none of my other family do yet. im sure they'll find out.. Leting my parents know took a hugh weight off my shoulders.

[@Ed7111]

You so cool and this video is really educational for people coming out,thanks

[@marshallh80]

Hey it's never easy, but I think in many cases these days people end up thinking hey that wasn't so bad! I was absolutely terrified that my (quite old fashioned father) would disown me and have a nervous breakdown, divorce my mother and flee the country but the reality was the complete opposite. As their children, parents want us to be happy and honest with them. Even if it is difficult to begin with, it won't last and it will so be worth it. Happy to talk more about this if you wanna, cheers.

[@Gvuz]

oh wow! Your dad sounds wonderful! XD In my case I told one a girl I was really close with, then three other close friends and finally the most important two. I let father know by telling a cousin on his side of the family. She spread it with the help of my myspace I gave her. My father wasnt pleased but ok & called me abnormal. IDC for him anyways as he has never been there for me and havent seen hi in years. My mom I told directly and she was totally ok :P

[@d13anzat]

Great story, wish I could meet a guy like you round where I live.

[@Rambleredhead]

Awesome video! I am very glad you did this video - amazing job!

[@GyrinidaeRex]

Aw...great recounting, and thanks for the tips ;) Just curious: what was your religious upbringing?

[@ehealthy222]

thanks for sharing. I'm glad I came out too. So much weight off my shoulders.

[@oxforddictonary]

Great posting...with all the hand gestures though, you may as well have put on a puppet show for us with actual hand puppets :)

[@nivkram1]

Thanks for posting this :-) Still wrestling with the last few peeps...

[@sneaks01]

Great Dan! This is good advice for many!

[@noursette29]

lol "maybe hopefully one day" thats certainty for ya! lmao! nice vid, very helpful!

[@llthgig]

ooh! We're going widescreen!! Good quality camera.

[@skitzo429]

I told my dad first too, everyone thinks its so weird, apparently telling ones mother first seems to be the trend. youre cute : )

[@25MartyDK]

Great story and great advice :-) I'm sure it'll be helpful to many.

[@henriquecb]

Really liked your videos, dude!!!! Felicitaciones!!!!

[@jayZjamesvi]

I've done all of it except for the tall your parents part. I still don't have the courage to do it.

[@ShasCho]

5 stars. Good on ya, Dan. Well done!

[@mr0alternitive]

Hey thanks for your videos. Has anyone ever told you that you have a slight resemblance to Jack Black. Especially your pics.

[@sleekcartim]

when u know in ur heart ur gay, BI etc... & hopefully feel good about it, hopefully u will have some supportive friends / family to lean on, may want to have a backup place to live, if with parents, in case things go bad... or be ready to live with negativity if not supportive. good luck! peace

[@Krrypton]

Ha! My worst mistake about coming out was I waited too much... and that didn't do any good to me---to my emotional me. But when I finally did it, it came out (sic) pretty good. My friends never gave it a second thought. To come out to my mom I waited a few more years, and when I finally did it, I learned, to my surprise, she already was aware I'm gay. (Looking back, that's no wonder... she must have figured I wasn't exactly playing scrabble every time a friend spent the night at my place.)

[@melingitte]

I left my parents a sticky note in a book... it didn't work out so well either.

[@Finnigan9]

THANK YOU for this heart-felt video. Some of you responders do NOT realize what it is to grow up in a USA/mid-west/right-wing/republican/baptist home...or worse yet, a Muslim environment anywhere. It is HELL! KUDOS to all of you who have overcome this indoctrination. It took me 40 years! Thank 'god' for the internet.

[@Renta1Cop]

WOW! I have so much in common with your coming out story. When I came out I did so also as a bisexual. However I came out to my sister first, parents didnt work out that well.

[@SimDuff]

I'm gonna do it right now, I started already with closer friends and parents, so I just need to confirm it all..! Alright, wish me luck, here I go!

[@fleshdecay]

I'm so proud of you!

[@dohchicken]

very true! In fact I found it a lot easier to say "I like men" instead of I'm gay. But if you think about it "gay" wouldn't have the same effect if it was used for something else. (Like 9/11. It used to be just a date, no different from any other)

[@sirinangelus]

that was an awesome video, i'm sure you'll help lots of guys with this. i actually came out to my dad when i was like 12 years old, i said to him, "is it ok that i think guys are cute?" he said. "yes it's ok"

[@musicislife159]

um... coming out is an extremly hard thing to do and this is the only video i heard that was good.

[@navyboydjray]

Great that your dad was cool about it. Mom will get over the grandkids thing.

[@sleekcartim]

Hey Dan do you thnk Ricky Martin will give his coming out vid here? I'd pay to see that! WOOF!

[@DISCO-munication]

i love your voice, it's so enchanting xDDD

[@GAMA3000]

why do i always cry with coming out stories?

[@sleekcartim]

together in pride, thx dan!

[@portson78]

you got that right and you younger guys have it easier and hopefully when you get to be my age the younger ones wil have no probs

[@covfefe95]

okay my parents said we will accept u no matter what and i am still scared to come out to them idk y but i am. so in ur opinion what do u think i should do?

[@korisx]

Coming out is an option its not compulsory. No one else can make the decision except for ourselves. A man I respect once told me, the clearest way to make a choice is to decide on the consequences you are willing to wear.

[@indydejesus]

omg same here!!! my mom just got a pacemaker and im so scared she's gonna die or sumtin if i just come out and tell her! but hopefully i think she gets the hint eventually, lol

[@onethousandsteps]

I'm definitely making a response to this. I've got a fun coming out story.

[@chilibeanz9830]

I was lucky too ,my parents are both supportive.

[@95TJZ]

@MrSnatchfan where do u base that on?

[@TME1]

Awesome video. Thank you for posting this.

[@Xloi63]

Help! my dad is gay, and I shouldnt have any problem with coming out to him, but my mom is a different story. She has the tendency to make racial, sexist, homophobic comments around me that have hurt me deeply, any ideas?

[@dogit800]

good advice... i find myself that i can give everyone else advice, but hard to apply it to myself.... for certain reasons i can't create a video responce...I told my mom that I was bi and she said i would prefer for you to like girls only but no matter what I will be behind you... Now I don't know if she was just saying that or if she really meant it... I am in the same boat as you..going from the bi boat to the gay boat.. I told my mom about 3 years ago and nothing else has been said about it.

[@shikishinobi]

Will put a video up when I get a chance. Keep an eye out. But good story. I suppose a lot of it is true. I wish I had it easier. But you will have to wait on those details. Cheers, Pez

[@jarkoffi]

Hi from Finland !! Love your vids !! Jarkoffi

[@sleekcartim]

"i reject ur reality & substitute my own". mythbusters

[@squallviii73]

Luckily you put it together in High School. I freaking got married.

[@LtotheP0859]

One other thing about coming out to your mom, dont tell her at 1 am when you are both tired and stressed. lol. ya... I luckily when from the top down telling my friends.