In all my queer complacency I can’t believe I almost forgot. Today is National Coming Out Day so I took this little opportunity to let my friends, family and coworkers all know I’m gay. They were so surprised! But very supportive.
But seriously, I’m very lucky. I live in a wonderfully bent town with a wildly accepting family in a very comfortable occupation. While there may not be any gay people in Iran (anymore…) there are plenty here. And I know that most folks probably live someplace in between these extremes. And for those of you that can come out safely I encourage you to do so.
But safe does not mean easy. There are valid reasons for staying in the closet like imminent harm, or if you’re underage. I do not extend this rationalization to celebrities, politicians etc who are just too cowardly. That teenager being put into a mental institution because their fundamentalist parents can make them need your strength. And I realize it’s easy for me to preach from my cushy office chair. I acknowledge my privilege. But even I do not exist in a vacuum. I’ve lived in many different environments and have not always been completely safe from harm and discrimination. We need each other to be brave and I hope I can be one more voice to add to that collective strength.
Whew…That got kinda serious. Really I just wanna say enjoy being gay. It’ll be a great weekend full of queer events so get your freak on Portland! Oh and feel free to share your coming out stories below.
