What to Say When a Loved One Comes Out

When someone trusts you enough to come out to you, it’s essential to choose the words you respond with carefully and thoughtfully. “Empathy is, in that moment, the most important tool you have to be an ally and to be there for the person you love who’s opening up to you,” says Max Talisman, a queer filmmaker, actor, and founder of Malibu, Bro Productions. “Letting them know you’re hearing them is everything in that moment.”

To signal they have your full attention, don’t interrupt your friend or family member as they talk, he adds.