Never too Old or Young to Live Your Truth: Coming Out Through the Decades

Some of us follow a pretty traditional coming out process, if you could call it that. Girl has unreasonable crush on straight girl, girl stays out all night partying, girl finally realizes that straight girl is inaccessible, girl starts dating queer girl and finally tells parents. All of this happened to me in my mid-teens and not perhaps not as quickly as I implied above, but overall it was a relatively conventional manner of realizing my own truth and beginning to live it. For many, this process is not necessarily as smooth or on the same timeline as mine was. Coming out as L, G, B, or T can happen at any time from early childhood through late adulthood. It’s never too late to be true to yourself or to share that truth with your loved ones.

This weekend, of course, we heard from Bruce Jenner, who is coming out at the age of 65. Some may wonder what takes some people a longer time than others, and indeed a lot of discussion around the Jenner interview centered on that. Shame or fear may delay the process, or some may talk themselves into relationships or marriage with someone of the opposite sex in order to appear heterosexual. This may decrease as non-heterosexual sexuality and non-cisgender gender identity become more acceptable to the larger community. On the other end of the spectrum, some children are telling their parents at a very young age that they are also members of our community.

Statistically speaking, coming out lowers cortisol (stress hormone) levels and decreases the risk of substance abuse and mental health issues. These health benefits will last through life. So, what is coming out like through the decades?

http://thelittersitter.com/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=http://thelittersitter.com/schedule-services/ Age 5
https://youtu.be/kVmau1cM5TU

http://ndapak.com/category/projects/sectors/buildings/corporate-offices/ Age 17
https://youtu.be/yILh_jMJv7k

Age 20-something
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz1bkHRwP6I&w=854&h=510

Age 30-something

Into My 30s by Dan Collier

Age 40-something

Christina – A Married Lesbian’s Story by Kathy Belge

Age 50-something
https://youtu.be/fHXLhFSRmOU

Age 60-something

HERE is the Bruce Jenner Interview with Diane Sawyer

Photo credit: Abc.Go.Com

Age 70-something
https://youtu.be/e1zZYMKGw2M

Age 80-something

Joel Grey Comes Out at 82

Photo credit: Upi.com

Age 90!

Nonie Dubes, 90 and Vivian Boyack, 91 Get Married