I Want the World to Know

Jack is another amazing young man who posted his coming out story on youtube. He began making video-blogs in December of 2008, and this was the first video that he shared. Jack is from Australia and first came out to new friends during a trip to Japan when he was 16. After receiving a positive reaction and finding confidence in himself, he decided to tell his friends at school and then his parents. Jack’s friends and his mom are very supportive, as is his dad though he’s never come out to him aloud. Jack’s story is one of bravery, strength, and beautiful candidness. He is truly inspirational!

This is Fernando Menjiva’s story about coming out to his parents. He posted this video on youtube on his 18th birthday on June 15, 2009. Though his family supports him, coming out to them was not easy. As the oldest son, he was expected to “protect” his sister. Also, because Fernando’s parents are divorced, he had to tell them separately. As a child, his father called him “Champion,” but his sister couldn’t pronounce the word and called him “Chappis” instead, which has been his nickname ever since. He has been video-blogging for four years and feels he has improved quite a bit over time. Please watch Fernando’s story. It is truly beautiful. His strength and courage are evident in his remarkable ability to be open about his sexuality at such a young age.

Oliver’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Oliver grew up in the small college town of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. When he was coming out in the 1960s, he faced several hardships including constant bullying by his classmates in school and the hush-hush gay underground community where meetings were secret and often sexually motivated. Because the concept of being gay was so taboo, Oliver contemplated suicide as a way to end the nightmarish situation of being “the class queer” without a gay support network. However, when Oliver moved to New York City at age 23 in 1976 (7 years after the Stonewall riots), he found a thriving and vibrant gay community that was both political and outspoken and one where he fit in perfectly. Oliver currently lives with his partner, Stanley, in Queens and has participated in gay mentoring groups, which he believes, when organized correctly, can be an incredible resource for LGBTQ youth.

Ellen’s Coming Out Story from I Want the World to Know on Vimeo.

Ellen, a Connecticut native, came out to her mom when she was 17 after she learned that her girlfriend was being kicked out of her home by her suspicious mother. Though Ellen’s mom “could be a PFLAG mom” today, it took years for her to realize that Ellen’s attraction to women was more than just a phase. Ellen’s father is also extremely supportive and relays gay-related stories to his daughter when he catches them on TV or in the newspaper. Ellen currently lives in Brooklyn with her 2 cats and plans on getting married in the future.