The Importance of Coming Out

There has been a lot of words being bandied about in both the main stream and LGBT media regarding the evolution in support for Marriage Equality by GOP Senator Rob Portman, some good and some bad and some totally evil.  Senator Portman's evolution started the day his son Will came out to him as Gay two years ago.  Like a lot of parents whose kids come out to them, the journey from knowledge of the fact to acceptance and support of their children takes some time.  Most people don't come out until after their own journey to self acceptance, some journeys being much longer than others.  Why should their parents be any different?  I agree the ideal situation is complete and total acceptance and support from the get go, but that is almost always not the case.  Some families never take the trip, while others like my family gets stuck somewhere along the line.  The important thing to remember here is not the length or difficulty of the journey, it is the fact that the journey arrived at the desired destination of acceptance and support.  That Senator Portman arrived at his journey's destination of acceptance and support, even though it took two years, is a fact to be celebrated.  I congratulate Senator Portman on his evolution and welcome him into the ranks of straight allies where he is indeed in good company.  

This is another case that proves the inestimable importance and the worth of the act of coming out, for it is far harder to hate someone if you know them.  Fear and Prejudice are overcome with knowledge, give your parents, your friends, acquaintances and coworkers that knowledge, empower them so that they too can make their own journey to acceptance and support.  It is like Harvey Milk said all those years ago:

"Gay brothers and sisters, ... You must come out. Come out ... to your parents.... I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth! Come out to your relatives, come out to your friends, if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors, to your fellow workers, to the people who work where you eat and shop, come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake. For the sake of the youngsters who are becoming scared by the votes from Dade to Eugene."
    Harvey Milk - "That's What America Is" speech, San Franciso Gay Freedom Day (25 June 1978)

While we are on the subject of coming out, one Dad saved his son the trouble of coming out with the letter pictured below:

I wish every Gay kid could have a Dad as cool as this one, Nate is a truly luck fellow. 

Your Musical Moment for Monday is Volume 2 of the Violin Concerti by Jean-Marie Leclair, along with a Concerto for Flute.  Today's performance is by Collegium Musicum 90 featuring Simon Standage on Solo Violin/Conducting and Rachel Brown on Solo Flute from their CD.  The play list includes Violin Concerto in F Major, Opus 7 Number 4; Violin Concerto in A Major, Opus 10 Number 2; Flute Concerto in C Major, Opus 7 Number 3 and Violin Concerto in A Major, Opus 7 Number.  

Then concluding today's post is this week's collection of marvelously muscly men and a couple of muscular twunks as well, all lounging about the page in their not so modest Monday's Undies for your visual appreciation.  Thanks for spending part of your Monday with me here at Nichevo, see you again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!

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