National Coming Out Day: Celeb Parents Talk About How They Came Out

Photo by Vagueonthehow via Flickr

Today is National Coming Out Day! Coming out is a personal action for LGBT individuals — it’s a way for them to tell their families, their friends, the world, and themselves who they are and to proudly step into their own truth and live it freely. However, coming out is sometimes easier said than done for many in the LGBT community. Sometimes they’re aware of negative feedback or reactions that they may receive from their family or friends for coming out, and in some cases, from their jobs or in the public spaces that they spend their time. Even worse, are those individuals who live in countries where it is still illegal to be gay or transgender or where so few rights exist to protect the LGBT community.

Within the last 20 odd years, coming out has evolved into something of a movement, much of which takes place online. With each coming out YouTube video that goes viral, the public is learning more about the issues of the LGBT community. However, celebrities who have come out can not be forgotten. With a spotlight and easy access to large media companies, those LGBT celebrities who have come out, have also played a role in helping others who have witnessed their bravery, to come out. So in honor of National Coming Out Day, we thought we’d share some amazing videos of celebrity parents coming out or talking about their coming out story in hopes that it will inspire others to live their truth one day by coming out too.