So, it all started with a girl called Sam. Blonde hair, blue eyes, sporty,
hot.

She was three years older than me and I had a crush, major crush.

Walking past her in the corridors I don't think she had any idea who I was, but wow did I know who
she was.

She was the only girl in school who'd come out but there was a minor problem, she had a girlfriend.

Soon after breaking up with my boyfriend... I don't think I'd broken up with him yet...
Anyway, I wasted all of my phone credit calling her, asking for advice about how to come out to my parents.

Before I could get around to that one of my closest friends outed me in front of my whole textiles class.

I was trying not to get mad but having all the jocks yell and throw food at me wasn't exactly my idea of fun.

I tried to stick to my usual group of friends, who were awesome, but it was hard to ignore when boys would
yell at me:

[boy enters scene and pushes Dibs lightly
on shoulder and gets right in her face]

JOCK:
Kiss her, kiss her.
Go on, kiss her.
[boy leaves scene]

DIBS:
... about me and any girl standing next to me.

When things settled down at school, I thought it was about time to tell the parents.

Dad was first.

He had a few gay friends so I thought he'd be totally cool with it. Which he was!

The only reaction I got out of him was:
DAD:
Hey honey, I'm glad. I'm glad you told me and I don't mind
you being gay.

[Dad and Dibs hug]

DIBS:
I was overjoyed to know he wouldn't think of me differently.

[Dad gets up and leaves bedroom]

I just thought mum might be a little harder to crack. [cut to Dibs in kitchen, addressing camera,
wearing tie and backpack, with mom in the background making tea]

DIBS:
I thought I'd try to avoid a long, drawn-out conversation so I just came out with it while running out
the door on my way to school one morning.

She still managed to pin me down for a few minutes and fired off a tonne of questions, like:
MUM:

Daniela, how do you know?
You're only 14.
You're too young to know.
Maybe it's just a phase or a crush.
When you get older,
then you'll know.

[cut to close-up of Dibs at bus stop, wearing
tie and backpack]

DIBS:
I eventually managed to run out the door, simply thankful that I'd survived the process.

It was such a huge relief to tell those who were closest to me.

I even felt comfortable to ask a girl
out, she said yes!

Eventually.

It wasn't all smooth sailing, though.

There were a few friends who I lost along the way who weren't comfortable with me anymore
but the friends who were supportive more than made up for the ones who weren't.

It's been a year or so now since the scary days of high school, and I made it.

Two crazy and incredible relationships later, I now have the most amazing friends queer, straight and otherwise.

While it might be rough in the beginning,
in the end - those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter.