hey, ivory benz - i'm gay. my experience has been that you should only tell others who you trust and who will not tell others without your approval. also, you should consider setting boundaries, e.g., if a friend calls you a "fag" and you're not comfortable with it, ask them to stop.

regarding telling your family, right now it seems that your mom does not want to know. i know from experience because my mom is homophobic; when i told her, her reply was that i was gay to embarrass her. you are going to need support from friends and other family members before you break the news to her and your dad. so, make sure you have that before letting them know the inevitable, that others who know and support you are aware of what you are about to do and will be there for you regardless of whether the result is positive or negative.

please, always play safe -- no exceptions. i wish you the best.