Coming out to friends and family can be difficult for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Anna Howie, junior in linguistics and president of the LGBT Ally Alliance, identifies as pansexual, which, she said, “is similar to bisexuality, but without the gender binaries.”

Howie had to come out when she was in high school.

“Getting the courage up to tell people was definitely really hard, but the hardest part was trying to anticipate how people would react,” Howie said.

Howie said she was in the closet as early as sixth grade.

“I faked having crushes on people, just so no one would ever suspect me. It was definitely hard because I felt completely alone back in middle school,” she said.

Once high school began, she still had no intentions of telling anyone about her sexual identity, until one of her friends asked her about it.

“Are you a lesbian or bisexual?” the friend said.

Howie said she was terrified that she finally had to tell someone about what she was going through, but when she did tell him, he had a big smile on his face, gave her a hug and said, “I am too.”

“I was beyond relieved,” Howie said.

Howie and her friend began coming out to friends and classmates, who turned out to be very supportive, and Howie even helped start an LGBTAA at their high school.

But she hadn’t told her parents yet.

She finally decided to tell her father the news in December 2007.

“I remember that day fondly. It’s even tattooed on my foot: ‘December 23, 2007,'” Howie said.

She was worried about how her dad would react, but when she was done talking, her father reacted very positively.

“I don’t know why you had such a difficult time telling me this,” Howie’s father said “You’re still my daughter, nothing changes.”

Howie’s mother didn’t take the news quite as well when Howie told her a few days after telling her father.

Her mother began saying things like, “It’s just a phase,” “You’re just acting out,” “I’m never going to have grandchildren,” and “Life will be harder for you.”

However, after a couple days Howie’s mother came around and showed her support by wearing a rainbow bracelet upon meeting with Howie, who had spent a couple days with her grandmother until things settled down.

“Ever since then, she’s been my greatest supporter. She supports everything I do here at the alliance,” Howie said.

Howie said without her parents’ support, she couldn’t be so active in the LGBT community today.

National Coming Out Week starts Friday and runs through Oct. 15.

“Coming out happens throughout the year. For most people, coming out is a lifelong process,” said Brad Freihoefer, coordinator of the LGBT Student Services.

There will be several events throughout the week to celebrate National Coming Out Week and National Coming Out Day, which is Monday.

“It’s really an opportunity for people to hear stories, to share and to rally around a sense of pride in who we all are as Iowa State students, faculty and staff,” Freihoefer said. “We want to raise visibility, find community and be proud.”