Coming out on facebook??

[awkward-shark]

I've heard plenty of stories of people who come out on facebook and get very positive comments, I've thinking of doing this but I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do.
Plenty of people on my friends list know what's up (well, not plenty, just my closest friends and people I see daily) however, there are plenty of old friends I haven't seen, extended family, two siblings, and people I just never talk to who don't know that I'm trans. I wish I could tell them in person but there's no way I'm going to see family who lives in different states/country just to come out, or schedule a get together out of the blue with old friends just to tell them "hey, it turns out I'm a dude!", so, the easiest way is through facebook I guess.
I think I should wait 'till I'm a few months on T to make the anounsment (I would probably talk to my local extended family by then, maybe?)... but still, it's somenthing that's been on my head for a while.

Any comments on comming out via facebook? how to do it? when to do it? what to expect?

[Rachel]

I too have read a lot of people's stories where they came out on Facebook. I came out in person to everyone except my brother, sister and brother-in-law. They live a distance away and it was easier to used e-mail and a phone. I thought of changing my Facebook to my preferred name but have not as of yet.

[Dex]

I came out in person to family and the team I manage at work. I then emailed a few select other folks at work that I work with frequently enough and relied on word of mouth for the rest.

I didn't come out on Facebook until I changed my name legally. That was finalized after I had been on T for about 2 months. I didn't do it on my wall or anything like that, I just sent a private message to family I don't see often or other people that had been important in my past. I did it matter of factly and just said, basically, "as of x date, I am changing my name and gender on Facebook. I've always felt this way, this is what I need to be happy, I'm not asking for approval but I am asking that you respect my decision".  It was much longer than that (I can copy and paste it if you want to see the full message), but I did get a ton of positive feedback from people. Then I changed it and whomever wasn't on that message just... Saw a different person on their Facebook page. If people questioned it, they didn't question it to my face.

Overall, I have been very lucky all around. Everyone in my life has been accepting and supportive both at work and at home. It has been a truly great experience for me. I don't know that everyone is so fortunate but I do think it is becoming more common.

[WorkingOnThomas]

I sent private messages to the people I was closest to, who I thought deserved a more personal touch. Then I simply updated my profile name and picture. Now, I'm not planning on coming out at work yet (although I've been showing up in a suit and tie every day) and while no doubt a few of colleagues that I'm friends with on Facebook have put two and two together, no one has said anything directly to me about it. So I'm fairly happy with the way things have been going in that direction at least.

[SilverWing]

I actually came out on Facebook on National Coming Out Day on an impulse after I saw a friend come out as bisexual and people received it well. Most people received it well or didn't care. Of course, I had already come to school wearing slightly feminine clothes, and nail polish, and mascara for a while by then. I also was always known as "the class weirdo", which might have made some of them more accepting because " Tron's just being weird as usual". Or maybe I am just being cynical.

Really I think the best thing is to be blunt and to the point when you do it, though. Otherwise people won't read it.