Painfully Relatable Memes for People Who Grew Up Gay

Growing up in the closet is THE WORST.

byraffy

It always feels like the people you love the most don't really understand and know you...

\u201cMy parents: Our son ISN\u2019T gay!!\n\n11 year old me in my moms heels:\u201d
— \ud83d\udcab\u2b50\ufe0f (@\ud83d\udcab\u2b50\ufe0f) 1536688320

...and it feels like you always have to pretend to be something that you're not.

\u201c#GrowingUpGay pretending to be straight\u201d
— \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25 HARLS \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25 (@\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25 HARLS \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25) 1437003670

When you're in the closet, school is literally the worst thing ever...

\u201c#GrowingUpGay when the teacher splits up the boys from the girls and you sit there with all the straight boys like:\u201d
— James (@James) 1532477538

\u201c*in high school*\n\nPerson: Can I ask you a question?\n\nMe, a closeted homosexual: *Stunned silence* \n\nPerson: are you a gay? \n\nMe*:\u201d
— James (@James) 1536716109

...and temptation is literally everywhere.

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\u201c#GrowingUpGay\u201d
— Gay Geek & Fabulous (@Gay Geek & Fabulous) 1537045202

You feel like you're always on edge...

— (@)

...and it sucks that people always assume you're straight.

\u201c#Growingupgay\nME: Can I have a sleepover?\n\nMUM: OK but no girls..\n\nME:\u201d
— Cam J Hall (@Cam J Hall) 1515701601

There are a few people who you can trust with knowing your sexuality, but they sometimes make you feel like you're just their token gay friend...

\u201c"OMG YOURE GAY!! IVE ALWAYS WANTED A GAY BEST FRIEND!!!!" #GrowingUpGay\u201d
— stanley (@stanley) 1436963589

...and then there are the jerks who don't believe you're actually gay (because for some reason, they think all gay people totes look the same). *eye roll*

\u201cCoworker: well you don\u2019t LOOK gay\nMe:\u201d
— Emma (@Emma) 1536711866

And don't even get us started with the "No homo!" dudes.

\u201cWhen your straight friends would say something gay and then say "No Homo!" #growingupgay\u201d
— \ud83d\udc51 The Mad Queen \ud83d\udc51 (@\ud83d\udc51 The Mad Queen \ud83d\udc51) 1467438734

But one of the hardest parts about growing up gay was definitely thinking that you'll have to stay in the closet forever...

\u201cWhen ppl asked me if I were gay while I was still in the closet so I had to act SHOOK \n#GrowingUpGay\u201d
— Demian 21 (@Demian 21) 1472522773

\u201c#GrowingUpGay and in the closet:\u201d
— marco (@marco) 1467477166

\u201cI got 99 problems but a guy aint one cause I'm still in the closet\n#growingupgay\u201d
— TYPICAL GAY TEEN (@TYPICAL GAY TEEN) 1449477806

— (@)

\u201cWhen people start talking about gays and you're sitting there in the closet like #GrowingUpGay\u201d
— Southern Homo (@Southern Homo) 1436993972

Yeah...growing up sucks.