Happy National Coming Out Day!

Today is National Coming Out Day, a day on which we celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ community and their courage in living and loving authentically. If you’re wondering why, in an era when marriage equality is the law of the land (for now), we need a National Coming Out Day, here’s just a small sampling of letters I’ve received that may shed some light on that:

“I’m Gay and My Boyfriend is Upset I Haven’t Introduced Him to My Family Yet” (update here)

“My Mom Doesn’t Believe I’m Gay!”

“My Family Thinks My Lesbian Relationship is Disgusting”

“How Can I Tell My Roommate I Know He’s Gay?”

“My Boyfriend Cheated On Me With Other Men!”

“I’m Worried I’ll Be Homeless If My Mother Finds Out I’m a Lesbian”

“My Girlfriend Refuses to Tell Her Son We’re in a (Lesbian) Relationship”

Also, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, an extremely conservative judge was just confirmed to the Supreme Court (despite being credibly accused of sexual assault by multiple women) and threatens the already tenuous rights of the LGBTQ community as well as all but guarantees any further progress will be a bigger fight than ever to achieve. Additionally, last week the Trump administration began denying visas to same-sex domestic partners of foreign diplomats and United Nations employees and requiring those already in the United States to get married by the end of the year or leave the country even if they are from nations that forbid same-sex marriages. The message is loud and clear: gays aren’t really welcome here. And if you need a reminder, Pence, who’s just one bullet away from being the leader of the free world, is an enormous homophobe who supports conversion therapy for gay youth and speaks at anti-gay/hate group gatherings.

If you want to support LGBTQ community, the best thing you can do is vote for people who will fight for their rights and put a check on Trump’s anti-gay agenda. Vote blue all up and down the ballot on November 6.

And as my friend Matty so eloquently wrote earlier today: “For those who find a voice today to share an innate truth about their gender or sexual preference, just remember that the people who are flawed are the ones who can’t love openly and with acceptance.”