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‘Continue to Shine Your Bright Light’: 13 Celebrity Posts in Honor of National Coming Out Day 2018
Celebrities

‘Continue to Shine Your Bright Light’: 13 Celebrity Posts in Honor of National Coming Out Day 2018

Written by Stephan Horbelt, Executive Editor
on October 12, 2018
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National Coming Out Day 2018 saw a ton of touching, inspiring and entertaining posts from some of our favorite people on social media.

In honor of the big day, we’ve compiled some of our favorite sentiments from across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These posts inspire us to keep up visibility as members of the LGBTQ community — something that has truly positive consequences for us all.

Here are our 12 favorite National Coming Out Day 2018 messages from the big day:

1. Pose creator Steven Canals

Canals shared a video yesterday for National Coming Out Day 2018 in which he reads a letter written to himself. “I want you to know that as tough as things may seem right now, in a couple years you are going to meet an incredible group of artists, and you are going to create a piece of work that you are so incredibly proud of,” he says. “So continue to shine your bright light, continue to celebrate who you are, don’t let all those kids on the playground who keep on making fun of you for the way that you walk or the way that you talk bring you down, because you’re special, and you are loved, and your voice matters.

2. Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy

For National Coming Out Day 2018, Kenworthy treated us to a sexy shot of him and boyfriend Matt Wilkas sharing a kiss, along with a lengthy post in which the athlete reminds us all, “Today is a gentle reminder to us all to live our lives honestly and authentically and not allow anybody else’s expectations to force us into silence.”

3. Writer, comedian and star of the new Heathers reboot Drew Droege

national coming out day 2018 drew droege

The always utterly hilarious Droege shared an amazing post on Facebook in which he says he doesn’t really have a “coming out story” but instead recalls the signs from a young age that he’d eventually come out: “These coming out stories have been really beautiful today. I don’t really have one. I mean, when I was four, my parents gave me watermelon and I said, ‘I don’t care for the texture.’ At the age of 6, I complimented my mom’s cousin on her ‘plum sweater.’ The next year I remarked that a girl on my soccer team looked like Eartha Kitt (oh my god she really did). Looking back, every single best friend I’ve had is now an out gay man. We talked about Mama Cass and Elvira and Jan Hooks and Kim Wayans and John Waters and Death Becomes Her. I had posters of Freddy Krueger, Madonna and Frank N. Furter over my bed. But for the longest time, I was nothing. I was terrified of sex, of dying, of being labeled, of being wrong, of being flawed. I didn’t understand how it was all connected and inseparable from my DNA. I was surrounded by love from my family and friends, who all knew and who were all patient. And oh sweet lord, what a wonderful life I’ve had and am having. I love watermelon now. And I am grateful to be here.”

4. Iceman Writer Sina Grace

national coming out day 2018 sina grace

He’s the man responsible for writing Marvel Comics’ Iceman series, which features the X-Men’s openly gay frosty fighter (Hornet even filmed the launch party for Iceman #1), and on Facebook Grace delivered a succinct message reminding us all that in addition to people coming out and being visible members of the LGBTQ community, it matters when beloved fictional characters do the same.

5. Our Favorite Netflix Series, Big Mouth

The show, which comes from the mind of Nick Kroll and dropped a second season on Netflix just last week, had a message for everyone who has fallen in love with its pubescent teen characters.

6. American Horror Story: Apocalypse Star Cheyenne Jackson

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoznUkjDdRJ/?taken-by=mrcheyennejackson

Jackson took to Instagram on National Coming Out Day 2018 to recount his struggle with coming out as a 19-year-old in a small town. “The family dynamic had to shift, friendships were tested and I had to start deciding who and what I was about,” he says.

7. Openly Queer Musician and Model Yves

For the very first time, Yves took to Instagram to share a post on National Coming Out Day. In his post he details the harrowing journey of coming out as a teen, having been met with violence, hate and thoughts of self-harm. With one line he reminds us all why National Coming Out Day is so important: “Hating who you are is easier than loving who you’re meant to be.”

8. Drag Superstar Jinkx Monsoon

This always eloquent RuPaul’s Drag Race alum came out at the young age of 13, which she attributes to a supportive family, a local queer teen resource center in Seattle and an all-ages queer dance club. “Everyday I take a moment to remind myself how lucky I was to have all that. My heart breaks for teens who don’t,” she says via an Instagram post on National Coming Out Day 2018.

9. Gorgeous Trans Performer Gia Gunn

“Tell someone you love them today,” Gia Gunn said on Twitter yesterday in honor of National Coming Out Day 2018. The Drag Race alum — one of seven trans women to have competed on the series, who has been extremely open about her gender confirmation process — also reminds us that “coming out” doesn’t just pertain to one’s sexual orientation. Think of it as a way to be honest with yourself and live your life as authentically as possible.

10. Neon Trees Frontman Tyler Glenn

“I am a proud gay man,” shared Glenn, who famously struggled with living his life as a gay man and a practicing Mormon back in Utah. “My life has infinitely improved because I decided to merge my double lives and get on a path of healing,” he says. And here’s hoping his message on National Coming Out Day 2018 helps some of his fans currently dealing with a similar predicament.

11. Funny man Billy Eichner

Combining National Coming Out Day with humor — as he does — the actor, who is currently appearing on American Horror Story: Apocalypse, shared a photo of himself from that very show in which he looks a bit … weathered (though still not bad for someone who literally survived nuclear winter in Los Angeles).

12. Actor Scott Evans

Proving that not all the most memorable National Coming Out Day 2018 stories were tales of doom and gloom, former One Life to Live cast member (and openly gay brother of Captain America himself, Chris Evans) Scott Evans reminisced over the lovely initial response he got from his mother upon coming out as a teen. “My mom is my hero,” he says.

13. Hamilton Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda

National Coming Out Day 2018 saw more than posts from members of the LGBTQ community, as the Hamilton scribe shows us. Allies are important, too! “Sending endless love your way,” he wrote on Twitter, sharing his same post from the year prior.

Who had your favorite National Coming Out Day 2018 post? Did you post something epic too?

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