National Coming Out Day is Tuesday, October 11! The day was not necessarily designed to influence the in-the-closet community to reveal their true sexual orientation. Instead, it was meant to create an inspirational platform for the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. The Human Rights Campaign’s website devotes a page to the national holiday. On it, you’ll find a section that includes a multitude of celebrities who were brave enough to come out publicly over the last two years. Here are a few.
1. Colton Haynes and Charlie Carver
Any Teen Wolf fans in the house? You might remember these two beautiful men as Jackson (Haynes) and Ethan (Carver) on the hit MTV series. They both came out as gay in 2015.
“People who are so judgmental about those who are gay or different don’t realize that acting 24 hours a day is the most exhausting thing in the world.” – Haynes
“So now, let the record show this – I self-identify as gay… I owe it to myself, more than anything, to be who I needed when I was younger.” – Carver
2. Aubrey Plaza
This whimsical woman’s most popular role in television is none other than April Ludgate from NBC’s Parks and Recreation. She openly admitted to being bisexual this past July in an interview with The Advocate, a famously gay news source.
“I know I have an androgynous thing going on, and there’s something masculine about my energy. Girls are into me – that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them, too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it.” – Plaza
3. Bella Thorne
Once Disney Channel star, Thorne took her talents to the big screen in recent years. She came out as bisexual to a fan on twitter just two months ago! The quote below was the caption to her Instagram post on Bisexual Day in September.
“Not only today but all days we should celebrate acceptance of others. Be who you want to be and it will take you to being your happiest self!” – Thorne
4. Gus Kenworthy
Kenworthy is an Olympic free-skier who came out as gay in an interview with ESPN The Magazine. This silver medalist deserves the gold for bravery and self-acceptance!
“I am gay. Wow, it feels good to write those words. For most of my life, I’ve been afraid to embrace the truth about myself. Recently though, I’ve gotten to the point where the pain of holding onto the lie is greater than the fear of letting go, and I’m very proud to finally be letting my guard down.” – Kenworthy
5. Amandla Stenberg
Recognize this little lady? No? I’ll give you a hint: she was the star in one of the saddest moments in film history. Still coming up short? OK fine, I’ll just tell you – Stenberg played the adorably heartbreaking Rue in The Hunger Games!
“It’s a really, really hard thing to be silenced and it’s deeply bruising to fight against your identity and to mold yourselves into shapes that you just shouldn’t be in… As someone who identifies as a black bisexual woman, I’ve been through it and it hurts and it’s awkward and it’s uncomfortable.” – Stenberg
The link below will take you to the Human Rights Campaign’s page about National Coming Out Day. It has everything you need and want to know!
http://www.hrc.org/resources/national-coming-out-day
Campaign, Human Rights. “Celebrities Come Out for Equality in 2016 | Human Rights Campaign.” Human Rights Campaign. Web. 08 Oct. 2016.