- - Is it - - -

Survey - AB/DL Practices - 3 - Coming Out

Sections: Basics - media (texts) - partners - coming out (texts) - needing diapers (texts) - significant others (texts)

Edit 11 December 2016: These results have been updated per the tenth year standards update.

One burden that AB/DLs bear is the need to choose whom they should tell about their interests. This section touched on whom the surveyee has come out to, how it turned out, and how they would recommend others to do it.

24)Do you think that anyone else knows that you are an AB/DL or are involved with one?

	N=873	%	Option
1	663	76%	Yes
2	210	24%	No

Since the following questions related to coming out or being out, participants that answered 'no' were asked to skip to the next section, needing diapers.

25)Do your parents know about your being an AB/DL or being involved with one? Please answer for the parent that you have the closest relationship with if the answers are not the same.

	N=874	%	Option
1	328	38%	Probably not. I've decide not to tell them.
2	8	1%	Probably not. I've decided to tell them, but haven't yet.
3	42	5%	Probably not, and I'm not sure what to do about it.
4	30	3%	Yes. We were open about it from early on.
5	64	7%	Yes. I took initiative and discussed it with them.
6	16	2%	Yes. A related topic came up, and I took the opportunity.
7	165	19%	Yes. I got caught, they found my diapers, saw files on my computer, etc.
8	11	1%	Yes. They were told by someone else.
	210	24%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

26)If your parents know, would you want them to forget?

	N=839	%	Option
1	114	14%	No. I'm happy with how things turned out.
2	48	6%	No. I wish I'd come out sooner and wouldn't undo it.
3	51	6%	Yes. I want a 'do-over' so I could prepare better, time it better, etc.
4	126	15%	Yes. I wish they never knew.
5	290	35%	They probably don't know.
	210	25%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

27)How many of your non-AB/DL friends know that you are an AB/DL or are involved with one?

	N=879	%	Option
1	19	2%	All of them
2	70	8%	Many of them
3	337	38%	Few of them
4	226	26%	None of them
5	4	0%	All my friends are AB/DLs
6	13	1%	I don't have any friends
	210	24%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

28)In hindsight, how many of those non-AB/DL friends who know would you want to know?

	N=871	%	Option
1	74	8%	None. I wish I hadn't told any of them.
2	215	25%	Only a few
3	76	9%	Most of them
4	149	17%	I'd tell all of them again.
5	147	17%	I don't have any non-AB/DL friends that know.
	210	24%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

29)How many of your coworkers know that you are an AB/DL or are involved with one? If you are a student, please include classmates, excluding friends.

	N=881	%	Option
1	4	0%	All of them
2	6	1%	Many of them
3	57	6%	Few of them
4	535	61%	None of them
5	69	8%	I don't have coworkers or classmates
	210	24%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

30)In hindsight, how many of those coworkers who know would you want to know?

	N=858	%	Option
1	148	17%	None. I wish they didn't know.
2	35	4%	Only a few
3	7	1%	Most of them
4	29	3%	All.
5	429	50%	I don't have any coworkers that know.
	210	24%	(Not applicable per Q24=2)

31)Which method (or methods) would you recommend others use when coming out? Please check one, two, or a few.

	N	Option
1	87	Get 'caught.
2	93	Talk about it after drinking/getting drunk.
3	147	Wait for a related topic to come up, such as in a TV show.
4	276	Ask about secret fantasies or another related topic, and then share your own as part of the conversation.
5	45	Leave a printout of a website or an article out to be found.
6	139	Initiate a discussion with a simple, prepared statement.
7	113	Initiate a discussion with a structured presentation; including lead-in, definitions, and expected questions.
8	120	Don't come out. Keep it a secret.
9	36	Other: please explain in question #32.
10	347	I haven't come out to either friends or coworkers

32) What suggestions would you give to others who were thinking of coming out? For example, do you have tips about how or when to come out, or suggestions about determining whether or not someone would want to know? (Optional)

Basics - media (texts) - partners - coming out (texts) - needing diapers (texts) - significant others (texts)

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Last Update: 11 Dec 2016| First Posted 3 Aug 2011

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