Today is a day when we celebrate who we are. Who we TRULY are. No apologies, no doubts, no filters… except Snapchat filters… those are COMPLETELY acceptable today, in fact they are encouraged! ;) Firstly, I would like to send a message to those of you who are coming out today! CONGRATULATIONS! MAZEL TOV! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU AND SO INCREDIBLY HERE FOR YOU! This will be the start of a very long, fabulous journey down the yellow brick road of Outdom and there are many of us that you will meet along the way to help you get to the Emerald City! I love you. Next I would like to send a message to those of you who are not yet ready to come out… Boo, I feel you! It’s not always easy… not everyone gets a parade. Coming out can be tough at times and I fully respect you for your choice not to come out today, but know… I AM HERE FOR YOU NOW & WHENEVER YOU DECIDE TO COME OUT!! WHENEVER! NO MATTER THE TIME OR THE DAY. I AM HERE FOR YOU AS ARE MANY OTHERS! So you do you… and when you are ready… so are we! I love you. Now to those of you who have already come out of the closet… I have a plea: PLEASE STEP IT UP TODAY FOR EVERYONE WHO IS STILL IN THE CLOSET OR HAVING TROUBLE BEING OUT! There are so many societal restraints on AMERICANS today that make it very difficult for some to come out of the closet and have, in fact, prompted some Americans to go back into the closet. I will GLADLY tell you that I work every day to make those societal restrictions DISAPPEAR… by living proudly and GRANDE without fear!
I AM unapologetically myself, so that others don’t have to live in fear of being THEMSELVES. Now… I acknowledge that change takes time… and under this administration time seems to be going backward, which makes it HARDER than it’s been in YEARS to be out in this country… BUT THAT’S ALSO WHY those of us who are already out of the closet and those of us who live above societal restrictions MUST REPRESENT LOUD AND PROUD TODAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID. For through our example, others WILL be able to safely come out & be out today. If those of us who are loving, accepting and open-minded towards people who feel like they are “other,” STEP IT UP TODAY we CAN PROTECT those people who wish to live out & proud in an unaccepting environment! Through our unity today and beyond, we WILL shift the hatred in this country against all people that do not fit into an arbitrarily pre-determined “acceptable” box. And in a few years, when we have a new president & vice president, our doubled efforts during this difficult time will have COMPLETELY ABOLISHED the hatred in this country and there won’t be a need for National Coming Out Day, because we will have destroyed the need for the closet within which we needed to hide in the first place! That is my wish. That is my Prayer for America. Inspire someone by living PROUD. Help someone by living LOUD. Love someone by living GRANDE. Happy National Coming Out Day! 🌈
