Danielle’s Diary has shared her personal struggle of coming out to her family.
Following her coming out story video, the LGBTQ+ YouTuber revealed in a heart-to-heart video how she experienced bisexual erasure when coming out, and how her mum could accept she was gay but refused to believe she could be bisexual.
Bi-erasure is when people try to erase or invalidate bisexuality – for example, by treating sexuality as a binary with gay and straight as the only options.
“I’m okay with you being gay but you can’t say you’re bisexual. It’s either one or the other,” Danielle recalls her mum telling her when she first came out.
Danielle goes on to share how disheartening it was to experience bi-erasure from a loved one and how, at a time when she was trying to figure out her sexuality, it angered her to be invalidated.
She ends a video with a message to others wanting to come out to be aware that people may not understand and may try to invalidate your sexuality.
“Be confident in yourself, and when a person says ‘You can’t be that’ like they don’t believe in it, you set them straight and don’t let their opinion affect you,” she urges.
We just want to say that we’re proud of you, Danielle, for sharing your story and helping others who may be dealing with something similar.
Want more?
Check out some of our favourite LGBTQ+ advocates who make YouTube a more accepting place. Alternatively, check out another Video Spotlight, on Grace Victory‘s The Real Reason I Don’t Drink Alcohol.
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