"Coming out" is the process in which someone publicly identifies as not heterosexual and/or cisgendered. It is often a long process, usually beginning with the person who is coming out telling people they really trust, such as family members or close friends, about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can be a very difficult and painful emotional process, since people--including the person who is coming out--might have to rethink ideas they used to have or ways they used to act. Someone who is coming out also faces a lot of prejudice and the risk of being hurt, either through emotional rejection by a friend or family member who doesn't support them, or even physical abuse. Many people are continually "coming out," since whenever they meet new people or make new friends they have to "come out" to them.
For more information about sexual orientation and gender identity:
