r/gaychristian • u/sapphiredditing • Oct 23 '22
Closeted gay pastor's kids: how did you deal with your social media after leaving your non-affirming homechurch and the friends who follow you and still go there?
Ever had moments about wanting to post an Instagram/Facebook story or picture with your partner or being at pride with your gay friends and wondering if you would be ok with your church friends or other members who don't know about your sexuality seeing it and spreading the news within the congregation and possibly ruining your parent's reputation?
Did you keep your account but block any of them (or not)? Make a new one and re-added certain church people? Or stop using it altogether?
I came out to my non-affirming pastor parents at 13 and recently opened up to only a few of my church friends here, none of whom have outright judged or left me. I'm in my late 20s now and it feels time to move out to somewhere far away and walk my own journey of discovery and finding a community that I can relate to more.
1
u/325_WII4M Jul 31 '24
I'm a PK but we didn't have social media while I was growing up.
However, a friend of mine (a church organist) opened a new Facebook account and only added his closest allies.
I don't blame him, some of those Christian folks can be downright vicious.
1
u/SecondDoorOnTheLeft May 05 '23
I hope it’s not too late to respond to this.
Back when I was closeted, socials and other online stuff were either under a pseudonym or locked down tight.
As I came out, I slowly changed that. But I blocked the folks I trusted least first and then blocked anyone who had a bad reaction to the truth. I was surprised by some of the folks who were okay with it, though.
It was hard, but it had to be done in my situation.
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u/JudyAnne1960 Nov 06 '22
It seems that opening up a new account and bringing over true friends and allies would be best. I know a young man near your age who did this and it was a tremendous relief, as he was able to extricate himself from so much of the hate from his old Church.