Being Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual (LGB)
Society expects people to be heterosexual despite the fact that statistically over 1 in 10 people will be gay, lesbian or bisexual. That means there are probably half a million gay, lesbian and bisexual people living in Scotland.
Despite this there are strong messages of disapproval that we pick up about LGB people from a very young age. This means that for most LGB people there can be a long period from realising you are LGB to actually telling anyone else about it or doing anything about it.
When someone who is LGB tells another person about it this is often known as "coming out". Many people don't come out because they are scared that they will be rejected by friends and family or lose their job. Sadly for some people this can actually be true. For some people this fear is so intense that they pretend to lead heterosexual lives well into adulthood and might even get married and have children to cover up that they are LGB
People who are gay can grow up with a sense of low self esteem and low expectations of what they are entitled to. The good news is that society is starting to change and be a bit more welcoming of people who are lesbian gay and bisexual but these changes are happening very slowly and with some resistance.
Many people who do come out report a great sense of relief and a feeling of how great it is to be honest about who they are.
People who have come out often find it much easier to meet partners and enter into relationships. They might start to use the gay scene, which is usually made up of pubs and clubs as a place to meet other gay people. There are also support groups available to help people come to terms with their identity or through coming out.
If you are not gay the important thing is to remember not to assume that everyone you know is heterosexual and think about how you might support a friend or family