oh, hay!

Shout out to those who came out.

Shout out to those who came out and were shunned by those closest to them for just being who they are.

Shout out to those who came out and were forced back into the closet.

Shout out to those who couldn’t come out.

Shout out to those who aren’t ready to come out.

Shout out to those who are too afraid to come out.

Shout out to those who were forced into coming out.

Shout out to those who were outed by someone they trusted.

Shout out to those who must keep quiet on this day.

Shout out to those who didn’t come out.

I’m so, so proud of you.

You are valid. You have the right to keep your private life private. You are NOT obligated to come out if you are uncomfortable. You are NOT obligated to be transparent to family or friends. You are NOT obligated to risk your safety to be ‘brave’. You are NOT lying. You are NOT cowardly.

This is personal. This is YOUR decision. No one has the right to tell you or make you feel otherwise about how to be who you are.

Your survival and sanity should come before compliance, and that’s OK.

You are who you are. You’re OK. You’ll be OK.