A post from The Equality MySpace Blog w/ Matt Hill:

Oprah viewer admires gay teens

Oprah Winfrey recently did a show on homosexuality.

You can check out the website on the show here:
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/after/200512/
tows_after_20051223.jhtml

On the site you can watch a segment of the show as well as see the quote of the day by singer Billy Porter.

While I was looking at the site, I noticed a comment which was made over the internet by one of Oprah’s viewers:

“I really respect anyone who has come out, especially all those younger teens. I believe they have cleared the biggest obstacle to living with happiness for gay people. I just wish I could have the courage and character to see how my life could be better by coming out. I wonder what a world would look like where gay people didn’t have to face such hardships to be true to themselves.”
— 64jon5

It is really awesome that the courage of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) teens have been acknowledged, especially on such a big venue as Oprah can provide.

We should all take the time to remember, though, that LGBT persons are not the only ones who ever have to “come out”. All of our straight allies have to, at one time or another, come out as such. Somewhere along the way, our straight allies come out by saying “I support you and I support LGBT equality.” Doing such thing can make straight teens just as vulnerable to parental and familial rejection as well as rejection from friends. It can also open them up to some of the same harassment LGBT youth receive.

So, just as the thought for the day, keep in mind all of our straight allies and offer them as much support as you would any LGBT person.

Similar to the help of the white majority during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, the LGBT Rights Movement needs the help of our straight allies.

Technorati Tags: gay youth, gay, lgbt, gay rights, oprah, coming out, straight allies, equality myspace