It's not easy coming out as gay, whether in real life or on the small screen. The reactions of our friends and our families is not always what we may have hoped for. Nevertheless its a journey that we as gay men and women need to take if we are to lead lives being true to ourselves.
The folks over at www.watchmojo.com have put together a compilation of Top 10 Coming Out of The Closet Scenes from a wealth of different TV programs. Some are heartbreaking, but some are gloriously happy too.
Although he will probably want to deny it, but Shane Wickesis a real hero. This young High School football Coach from Reno Nevada came out as gay to the world very publicly in a TED talk at the University of Nevada. His story about his own journey is powerful as he articulates about his experiences with depression and a suicide attempt, all of which led him to finally coming out for the sake of the kids who might be gay around him.
"Sharing our truth is the only way we can have the impact we want to have," Wickes said in his talk. "One day being gay in football will be normal. But in order for that to happen, those of us who are gay need to stand up and own it."
It takes balls to do what Wickes did ( and not just the kind you play soccer with). As he added at the end of his passionate speech“a healthy person cannot live life in the dark,” and hopefully his bravery will inspire others struggling with their sexuality to find the light.
Australian transman Henry Tadebois used his skills that he picked up when studying film and TV at Swinburne TAFE in Melbourne to make a rather stunning 'Coming Out' video. Well technically he explained that it was a 'Further Coming Out' as first time around was when he was a lesbian, but now that he is swapping the L (in LGBTGIA) for the T he wants to explain to the world exactly what that means.
The 24-year-old train driver teamed up with his friend Kaylene Tyler to try and de-bunk some of the myths about transman in a style and format that was both enlightening and downright funny. He told BuzzFeed Newsit was important to him to come out in a light-hearted way.“I didn’t want to be all serious, doom and gloom,” he said. “Humor creates trust, and if you can laugh at something, it’s not a big deal.”
I'm still be the same person you’ve always known,” Henry finishes. “I just need to make the outside match the inside… And I’m super excited!”
To celebrate National Coming Out Dayqueerguru picks
10 of The Best Coming Out Movies
1) The Way He Looks : An award winning Brazilian film written and directed by Daniel Ribeiro about a blind schoolboy and his virginal innocent friend who are slow to realize their feelings for each other. Tender, with some neat touches of humor, none more so than when Gabriel insists that Leo learns how to dance. What does make it all so compelling is the captivating performances of the young lead actors, particularly Ghilherme Lobo who was so pitch perfect as Leo.
2) Out In The Dark: From LA-based Israeli newbie director/writer Michael Mayer, a heart-string- tugging story of forbidden love between an Israeli and a Palestinian in Tel Aviv where the later risks his life if he comes out to his Arab family back home. It’s all the more remarkable that after all the horrors the pair go through, that the overwhelming feeling that one comes away with from this compelling and enchanting film, is of hope.
3) In The Name Of : Polish LGBT movies are a great rarity and this one from writer/director Malgoska Szumowska is a remarkable and unpredictable drama that deals with a repressed Catholic Priest’s personal struggle with his homosexuality. Brave, controversial and extremely moving: like (No. I in our list) it won a prestigious Teddy Award for best LGBT film at Berlin Film Festival.
4) Free Fall : This rather compelling debut feature from writer/director Stephan Lacant about forbidden love in a very rampant homophobic community is a hot and steamy German tale where one straight trainee Policeman discovers that probably he shouldn’t be getting married to his pregnant girlfriend after all when he has a very physical relationship with one of his colleagues. Very well written, and beautifully acted.
5) Beautiful Thing : From 1996 this wonderful British film version of Jonathan Harvey’s hit stage play about two gay teenagers finding themselves and each other in a Council Estate in London. Young Jamie is escaping sport hours, to avoid being the victim of his comrades and Ste, his neighbor, is beaten by his father, and comes to sleep overnight. They discover new feelings, sleeping in the same bed.
6) Circumstance: This coming-of-age story from first time director Maryam Keshavarztells is of two teenage girls, who are best friends, dealing with all the restrictions of growing up in Iran today. The girls are exploring their emerging sexuality as they become part of Tehran’s underground party scene. Superb, if not scary, look at some of the conflicts and struggles in contemporary Iran.
7) Beginners : Christopher Plummer’s Oscar winning turn as newly widowed 75 year old Hal who declares to Oliver his son that he is now gay and is determined to make the most of the time he has left. Written and directed by Mike Mills and evidently based on his own father's life. Sweet and very funny.
8) Edge of Seventeen : Directed by David Moreton, this sentimental story set in small town America in 1984 teaches High School student Eric that love and sex are not the same thing and he almost goes back into the closet. Great period piece, well acted and a neat happy ending.
9) Mixed Kebab : Bram a good looking Belgian/Turkish 20 year old gets thrown out of his family home in Antwerp when he comes out although his father is happy to house his other sons who are crooks which is far better than being gay. An intelligent drama from writer/director Guy Lee Thysthat becomes an entertaining romance.
10) White Frog : Nick, the youngest son of a wealthy Chinese/American family tries to put the pieces together of his older brother’s life after he was tragically killed in a car crash and discovers that he had wanted to ‘come out’ to him before he had died. Very endearing.
The bravery of the former captain of the Welsh Rugby Team Gareth Thomas when he publicly came out as gay was extraordinary. His story is an amazing inspiring one and now Guinness have captured it for a new advertisement that they released today. 'Never Alone' tells the story of how Thomas's greatest fear wasn’t the opposition he faced on the pitch, but the fear of rejection from everything he had known, because of his sexuality. The film celebrates the courage of Thomas, and most importantly, the empathy shown by his teammates when he came out, showing that even when he felt he was on his own and at his lowest point, he was always part of a team. Kudos to Guinness for making this stunning film and it is (another) reason I will want to keep drinking their stout.
Two weeks after Keegan Hirst became the first British professional Rugby League player to come out publicly as gay, 23 year old Sam Stanley a professional Rugby Union player has come out as gay in an interview in today's 'Sunday Times'in the UK. (queerguru will not even attempt to try and explain the difference between Rugby Union and Rugby League to avoid upsetting sports purists, so we have attached an explanatory video below,)
Stanley who played for England Sevens at five tournaments and is a member of one of the most famous rugby families in the sport, spoke out that he hopes that telling the world he is gay will give others the courage to come out too. In the interview he talked of his painful journey to get this point and says he considered suicide because he was scared that telling the world he was gay would ruin his rugby career.
Born in Essex to an English mother and a father of Samoan descent and his brother, Michael, is in the Samoa squad for the World Cup. Stanley also added that he had also gone to great pains to cover up his relationship with Laurence, his partner of five years, although he is obviously not that worried about covering up his body according to these naked photos he posted on himself on Instagram.
British professional rugby player 27 year old Keegan Hirst made giant waves in the media when he become the first ever league player to 'come out' as gay. Hirst, a father of two, candidly recounted to 'The Sunday Mirror' that his decision to go public about his sexuality because he wanted to alleviate the guilt his wife was feeling when their marriage broke down.
The 6' 4' Captain of Batley Bulldogs (a team in West Yorkshire in the North of the UK) said 'I tick every macho box. How could I be gay? I’m from Batley for goodness sake. No one is gay in Batley.' On the video he is self assured and talks calmly about the great relief that he feels now that he has come out 'I'm now comfortable in my own skin, probably for the first time ever'. He also opens up about the difficult journey that he had to get to this point and revealed that he had even considered taking his own life. 'On the worst days I'd think, I can't do this, I'd rather be dead than for all of it to come out' he said.
His announcement has been met with an outpouring of support from not just the general public but also his fellow players with several of them hitting social media to declare their respect to Hirst. He follows in the footsteps of ex Welsh Captain Gareth Thomaswho played rugby union for years and then came out as gay after he retired. Hirst is however the very first one to come out publicly whilst still actively playing. We hope that by making this brave step he will empower others to do the same.
