The decision to come out to family and friends can be a daunting one and making that pronouncement as a teenager can be more frightening still.

A new book hopes to make the process easier by addressing the questions that the individual involved and their loved one may have.

‘The Complete Guide to Gay Life for New Explorers’  has been written by counsellor and psychotherapist Michael Ryan who is also a gay man. Michael, along with two teenagers Kelsey Dunne and Kane Fay, spoke to Pat Kenny today about their experiences coming out today.

Kelsey stated that she came out to her family when she was 15. The reaction of her classmates was "really supportive.It wasn't unusual for them."

However, she did state that she has been stereotyped: "All lesbians are butch, or boys.

"The odd few times you can get abuse over it."

Kane Fay said he told his mother by writing it on a slip of paper and running up the stairs: "It went quiet for about five minutes.

"She screamed up the stairs 'men like men all the time, do you want to talk about it?' and I was like, no.

"She said it was normal. She said she knew all the time, she was just waiting for me to tell her."

You can listen to the full interview here: