hiii um sorry if this is weird I legit don't know where else to figure this out but how do we tell our irl friends that we're a newly discovered system...? (Newly is being used kinda light here, I waited a bit to get as much mapped out internally as possible so we've known about it for some months now)
Idek if they know what a system is or if they'll think we're weird or wtvr (Theyre good friends but yk anxiety) and I just don't know what to saayyy
Well, you could test the waters first by bringing up plurality in other contexts! For example, if you share a fandom, you could bring up a plural character or headcanon you like, and ask what they know about plurality. Something like, "You know (character) from (media)? Recently I read a fic where they're plural/I've been thinking about a plural AU with them/I've been thinking that they would really make sense as a system/(etc.). Do you know what plurality is? Just wanna check before I go too in-depth." Or you could do what we did with a family member, and ask if they know what plurality is before sharing some funny posts about it. Hell, feel free to bring up this blog if you want!
Personally, when it comes to the actual coming out, We like to rip the band-aid off, but in a casual way. Something like, "Oh btw I'm a system. I'm telling you this because I trust you and want to share this part of my life with you. Feel free to ask questions if you want". By treating it as something casual yet important to you, you prime the other person(s) to also think of it as something casual and Important To This Person I Care About.
The exact wording might change depending on the person and when We bring it up. For one person We plan to come out to, We're probably going to bring it up as, "Hey, you know how I want to write a book with a system character? That may or may not be because I'm a system lol". Since you probably want to see what they know about plurality first, you can do something similar, and reference that conversation as a transition into your coming out.
We've also come out via PowerPoint before, but that was to a therapist, since We needed to get through a lot of information. Still, that's also a viable choice that will allow you to prepare a lot in advance! You could throw in some jokes, have a silly QnA session, whatever else you want to make it less serious and intimidating.
Regardless of which method you prefer, it's a good idea to ask yourself how many people you want to come out to at once. You could come out to everyone at the same time, or in smaller groups, or one-by-one, or in a mix of smaller groups and individuals. Whatever works best for you. Coming out to multiple people at once can be intimidating, but it's faster, and if one or some of them already know about plurality, you can let someone else explain how some of it works (especially if you let them in on the plan ahead of time). Coming out to people one-by-one can drain your energy, but it may feel safest to take it slow and see how each individual feels.
If you'd like to have some resources on hand to throw at them about what plurality is, here's some We like to provide when telling people about plurality:
A System's Guide to Plurality
The Dragonheart Collective's Primer To Plurality
Remember, if they're good friends, they'll accept you. And if any of them turn out to be not-so-good friends, you can kick them to the curb, survive, and find better friends in the future. They have shown themselves to be trustworthy enough to learn about this part of your life, and in the unlikely chance they decide to scorn that, that's on them. Not you. You are a wonderful, incredible system, and you will rise above any challenge in your way. Now go forth and plan your grand coming out.
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