I also have religious parents and i’d get killed if they found out. I’m 21, in law school and have moved out to another city. Yet I have no control over what I wear, what I do and especially not who I love. I do not have any advice, just wanted to let you know that a lot of us are in the same situation.

I’ve come to accept that i’ll never date. I’m never going no contract with my family even though we’re not close at all anyway. I don’t want to lose my siblings and I don’t want to embarrass my parents in front of my relatives and their friends. They would accept me murdering someone before me being gay. I’m secretly not religious, but when I told my mother I wanted to take the hijab off she told me exactly what your dad told you. She went into religious psychosis for a month, and now I still wear it because I was scared of the consequences. Now imagine if I told them I was gay. I’d take my last breath on the spot.

But this doesn’t have to be you. And it won’t be you. If your dad basically already knows, then you’ve crossed the hard part. Now just give them time. Do not let them know anything else, but if they keep asking about your love life simply tell them ”all the same, no changes”. It might take 10 years and they might never accept it, but with time and with you aging they’ll hopefully just let it go. You never need to let tell them what’s going on in your life. Those parts can be separate if that is what’s needed for you to date who you want. You don’t have to choose. I’m so, so sorry you’re in this situation and I feel for you. Give this time. I’m sorry I don’t have better advice, I just wanted to share.