As we welcome 2025, it’s the perfect time to focus on living authentically. For LGBTQIA+ youth, self-discovery can be both empowering and challenging, but it’s a vital part of personal growth. In this post, we explore why embracing your true identity is so important, and provide steps to help you on your journey toward self-expression, mental health, and confidence. Learn how to navigate your path to authenticity and discover the resources available to support you.
Supporting a trans or nonbinary child can feel like uncharted territory, but you’re not alone. At Out Youth, we’re here to help families create safe, affirming spaces where their kids can thrive. Discover practical ways to listen, learn, and celebrate your child while building a brighter future together.
To celebrate National Coming Out Day, we had the privilege of sitting down with Jaryn Holbrook Janeway, MBA (they/them), Out Youth’s Director of Programs & Operations, and co-author of Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You. Jaryn shared their powerful coming out journey, the challenges they faced, and the advice they have for those on the cusp of their own coming out experience.
"Coming out is not a singular experience," Jaryn told us. "We have to come out over and over again. While I first came out at 14, I’ve had to come out countless times since then—about my gender identity, my evolving understanding of myself, and more."
For Jaryn, the act of coming out wasn't just about sharing their identity—it was a continuous process of self-discovery. "What I'm coming out into at almost 40 is an understanding that I've been doing gender for everyone else. I wasn’t doing it for me." They emphasize that while the journey can be challenging, it’s ultimately about finding peace within ourselves and embracing the life we want to live.
