Might not get another chance

[Merging]

If it were me I would tell him if he is truly your friend he will understand.

I felt honored when mt gay friend came out to me in high school it showed how much he trusted me

[matty7]

tell him,,,he's your friend and i suspect he will be after u say so too....ive told people who have called people gay n some bad stuff but once i told them they changed just like that,,,,i hope your friend will be the same,,,im sure it may be a shock but it wont effect him so much that he wont be there for you - good luck and just think positive,,

[zeon]

Best thing to do is let him know if you wish... Just ask him out for a meal or a walk or something and say there is something i want to tell you because you havent made me feel crap with any remarks or anything we have said in our friendship but i want to do this in person as more respect can be earnt from it... I am gay... Dont worry if his a true friend he will stand by you the whole time

[jbrowder24]

Is there any one he's close to that your not out to, that you risk him outing you when not ready?

Depending on that answer, I would lean towards telling him. A lot of people use "gay" to mean things like "stupid" because that is what culture teaches, unfortunately, but they are gay-friendly despite using such words. (If he'd used it in other negative contexts I'd be worried, but I know I had friends who used it in this context and were fine - and I must admit I used it a little myself before I realized my sexuality, unfortunately).

More than that, if he's someone you want to be open with... I agree in person is best... and who knows when you'd next get a chance? And though I know you don't want to lose him, the move could end up a blessing in disguise should he react poorly for any reason. But hopefully he accepts you, and you can be honest with him as you keep in touch.

The choice is ultimately yours, as we all come out to people as we are ready, but your posts make me feel like you want to. If you are having doubts, find a way to broach the subject first, like talking about a movie with a gay theme, an out actor, something in the news gay-related, etc.

[goodynames]

Thank you all so much! I've decided to come out to him. Hopefully I can work up the courage within a day or two. Still don't have a plan set in stone, but I have an idea how I should go about doing this.

[curios]

Then you just answered your question my friend. Go for it