It was Christmas morning and I had been eagerly awaiting to see what my boyfriend had gotten me.
We had been dating for a few months, and I thought he was really into me. We had been talking a lot about the future, and I thought things were going great.
But when I opened my gift, my heart sank. There it was, a rainbow flag and a card that read: “I’m gay.”
My boyfriend had come out as gay on Christmas morning.
I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do or say. I just sat there, feeling numb and confused.
After a few moments, I managed to say something. I asked him why he hadn’t told me sooner. He said he had been trying to figure it out for a while, and he had finally decided to tell me.
That was the worst Christmas present ever.
I was angry and hurt. I felt betrayed. How could he keep something like this from me for so long? How could he wait until Christmas morning to tell me?
But I also felt a strange mix of emotions. On the one hand, I was sad and disappointed. On the other hand, I was relieved that he had finally been honest with me.
In the days and weeks that followed, I tried to make sense of what had happened. I talked to friends and family, and eventually, I began to understand.
My boyfriend had been struggling with his sexuality for a while. He had always been attracted to men, but he had been too scared and ashamed to admit it. He had wanted to tell me, but he was scared of how I would react.
As I processed my feelings, I began to understand that my ex-boyfriend was brave for coming out. I also began to understand that this wasn’t about me. It was about him being true to himself and living his truth.
My ex-boyfriend’s coming out story is not the most typical one. It’s certainly not the happiest Christmas present I’ve ever received. But it’s an important story, and it’s one that I’m grateful to have been part of.