Living with Jennifer Lawrence

[84:] Coming Out

Jason

"Hang on," I mutter into my headset.

Jen sat down on the edge of my bed, facing me.

"What is it you needed to tell me?" she asked.

Again, I took a deep breath. The best way is tell her is to not stall and get it over with.

"I'm bisexual." It's finally out there.

She didn't respond at first. I wasn't sure if I should be worried or not.

There was a small amount of fear deep inside me. Afraid of rejection, of being disowned.

Wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

"Oh, sweetie," she said, and hugged me. My game controller fell out of my hands. "You could've told me sooner. This doesn't make me love you any less, I hope you know that."

I wasn't expecting such a heartwarming response. No "are you sure?" or "how do you know?" Nothing like that.

We're religious, and we're taught to love everyone.

"I have a boyfriend now," I added. "His name is Caleb. He's the one I was playing the game with. Want to talk to him?"

Caleb was still online. "I told my mom." He's been wanting me to tell her for months now.

"You did?" he paused. "What did she say?"

I looked at her and smiled. "She took it well. She would like to talk to you."

He cleared his throat jokingly, and I handed Jen the headset.

They chitchatted for a little bit, and there was some laughter involved.

"He seems nice," she said. "You can bring him over for dinner if you'd like."

Before she left, she asked, "Have you told anyone else?"

"No," I admitted. "Not really."

"If you need any help with that, you know where to find me."

And off she went.

Being bisexual would be hard, I knew that. Coming out is different for us compared to gays or transgenders. For us, the coming out process never really ends. I'd have to come out to each person I'd date. If I got serious with someone from the straight community, I must come out to that person. If I got serious with someone from the gay or lesbian community, then I must come out to that person, too. Of course, I could come out before the first date, but still. I had a long road ahead of me.

Then there's romantic rejection. Girls might be afraid of me falling for a guy, and vice versa.

But I knew my family would be by my side, and things would only get easier from here.