Why outing yourself on Instagram can be worthwhile - and when it's better to have a face-to-face conversation
Coming out on Instagram can be a grueling affair for everyone involved. Even today, the fear of being ostracized by one's closest social environment and discriminated against by society is still great. And that is precisely why many people ask themselves how they should best come out. It is not always "just" about finding the right words. Many are also concerned with the "how".
Keeping one's sexuality a secret has rarely led to a happy life. The danger of being "discovered" is always lurking, and it is precisely this pressure that can naturally affect the psyche. Coming out is a good opportunity to finally be able to develop freely.
There are many different ways to stand up for yourself. Recently, social media such as Facebook or Instagram have been used more and more, and not only by celebrities. But what are the actual advantages of such postings?
An outing on Instagram: This speaks for it
In fact, coming out on Instagram can have some advantages. Especially for people who fear direct confrontation with friends, the network (assuming the appropriate privacy settings) offers a safe space in which the outing can take place as gently as possible. But what exactly speaks in favor of such "I'm gay!" postings?
Advantage No. 1: A protected space
Outing someone on Instagram can take place in a largely protected space. Hate comments or negative reactions can be deleted if necessary and the people in question blocked. There is also enough time to deal with questions or comments from friends and other close people before replying. If you want to make sure that "the whole world doesn't find out at once" about your sexual orientation, you can also set your profile to "private".
Advantage No. 2: An optional discreet outing
Those who would like to get to grips with the new situation first can make use of hashtags to perhaps also fuel the rumor mill a little.
Attentive and close people will certainly react to hints like #gay or #trans. Based on the reactions, it is usually already possible to foresee how the people would deal with a direct outing.
Advantage No. 3: Pictures say more than a thousand words
A simple picture without comments or hashtags can sometimes tell a longer story than a page-long statement. Maybe a picture with a rainbow flag? Or straight up a couples picture? Here, no one has to worry about the appropriate choice of words.
Advantage No. 4: Reach and positive reception
Instagram is known for offering a comparatively "nice atmosphere" - especially compared to Facebook and YouTube. That's why coming out on Instagram can have great benefits for one's own psyche. The positive basic feeling that is conveyed here can help to deal with one's own outing more easily - also in the real world.
When and with whom a personal outing may be more appropriate ...
If you have a close relationship with your family, you might want to come out face-to-face instead of going on Instagram. A post addressed "directly to everyone" can be misinterpreted by family members and cause resentment. Especially if they are approached by outsiders and didn't know about it themselves.
Here it is important to put yourself in the other person's shoes a little and ask yourself who would be happy to have a personal conversation and who is content to be informed along with the general public. The famous gut feeling often helps to make the appropriate decision with regard to this question.