Who's Gay On TV? Dads, Journalists, Invtigators And Footmen : NPR

Contents:

• ABC NEWS APPOTS GAY CORRPONNT G BENEZ AS CO-ANCHOR OF ‘GMA’ WEEKENDS
• HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOG RELATNSHIP BETWEEN ABC'S GAY JOURNALIST DAVID MUIR & G BENEZ
• G BENEZ, GAY REPORTER AT ABC, NAMED ‘GMA’ -ANCHOR
• GAY ABC NEWS ANCHOR OUT WHILE TALKG ABOUT ‘STAR TREK’ ACTOR ZACH QUTO ON THE AIR
• SURPRISE! ABC FAY AND FOX ARE THE GAYT NETWORKS ON TV
• THE BT PRODUCTS TO HELP YOUR FAY TRAVEL SMOOTHLYOPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43THE STORY OF THE PRI BYALEX PEREZVIO BYCHRIS CIRILLO AND TONY MORRISONOCTOBER 07, 2020, 4:09 AM•8 M READOCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT.MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT.TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN.THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT.SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y.BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT LIVG—ZOO ASKS PUBLIC TO NAME RARE GIRAFFE BORN WHOUT SPOTSAUGT 22, 2023DOG EATS GROOM-TO-BE'S PASSPORT WEEKS BEFORE TERNATNAL WEDDGAUGT 21, 2023'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONIAUGT 18, 2023CHARY THAT DONAT WEDDG DRS TO ARY, 1ST RPONRS LOS DRS MAJOR FLOODAUGT 18, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—ZOO ASKS PUBLIC TO NAME RARE GIRAFFE BORN WHOUT SPOTSAUGT 22, 2023DOG EATS GROOM-TO-BE'S PASSPORT WEEKS BEFORE TERNATNAL WEDDGAUGT 21, 2023'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONIAUGT 18, 2023CHARY THAT DONAT WEDDG DRS TO ARY, 1ST RPONRS LOS DRS MAJOR FLOODAUGT 18, 2023
• WHO'S GAY ON TV? DADS, JOURNALISTS, INVTIGATORS AND FOOTMEN
• THE BT PRODUCTS TO HELP YOUR FAY TRAVEL SMOOTHLYOPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHFAYWABC-NY'S BILL RTER: I'M A PROUD LGBTQ+ ALLY AND ALWAYS WILL BE14:36LADY GAGA TO LGBTQ MUNY: 'I WOULD TAKE A BULLET FOR YOU' BYBILL RTERJUNE 22, 2021, 6:48 AMIN CELEBRATN OF PRI MONTH, BILL RTER, ANCHOR AT "EYEWNS NEWS" ON WABC-TV NEW YORK CY, REFLECTS A PERSONAL SAY ABOUT BEG AN LGBTQ+ ALLY. AS A PARENT, BEME EPLY PERSONAL FOR RTER WHEN HIS DGHTER MIA PROUDLY ME OUT AT AGE 17."IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS, THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL," RTER WR. "WHEN 'S PERSONAL, 'S POWERFUL."RTER SAYS HIS ALLYSHIP WH THE LGBTQ+ MUNY BEGAN WHILE WORKG AT HIS PARENTS' BETY SUPPLY STORE THE 1960S AT A TIME WHEN MOST GAY PEOPLE WERE EHER FLAMBOYANTLY OUT OF THE CLOSET OR FIRMLY HIDG .READ RTER'S PERSONAL SAY BELOW ABOUT THE MEANG AND IMPORTANCE OF ALLYSHIP.MY DGHTER MIA WAS 17 WHEN SHE ME OUT. SHE WAS BOLD, SHE WAS HONT, SHE WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD. WHAT SHE WASN'T WAS SRED OF OUR REACTN. SHE KNEW THAT HER BABY BOOMER PARENTS AND HER MORN-DAY FAY WOULD EMBRACE HER PRONOUNCEMENT OF WHO SHE WAS, AND WHO SHE IS.WABC-NY'S BILL RTER SHAR A PHOTO OF HIS DGHTER, MIA.COURTY BILL RTERMY REACTN? I WAS SO PROUD OF MIA'S EXPLORATN, DISVERY AND JOURNEY ABOUT HER INTY.BUT I HAD A SEND, TERNAL REACTN -- ONE OF PARENTAL WORRY, BEE MIA HAD E OUT TO A WORLD THAT DIDN'T SEEM PREPARED TO OFFER HER THE SAME KD OF RIGHTS GUARANTEED TO PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T GAY.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'OCT 07, 2020ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'OCT 11, 2022MORE: ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'THE YEAR WAS 2009, AND JT FOUR STAT HAD LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAG. BUT THE TI WAS CHANGG. SIX YEARS LATER, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAG ALL 50 STAT BY STRIKG DOWN THE BANS ON SAME-SEX UNNS.IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL.I WATCHED THE TIDAL CHANGE DURG THOSE SIX YEARS WH MORE THAN A BYSTANR'S TERT. THIS DIRECTLY AFFECTED MY OLST CHILD, AND I WAS NOT THE SLIGHTT B IMPARTIAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I AM STILL NOT IMPARTIAL. IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS, THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL.IT STILL IS. AND, FACT, 'S AGAST ALL OF . I FELT THIS BEFORE MIA ME OUT. I FELT ON BEHALF OF OTHER PARENTS OF GAYS AND LBIANS. BUT THERE'S NO QUTN, WHEN 'S PERSONAL, 'S POWERFUL.WABC-NY'S BILL RTER SHAR A PHOTO WH HIS DGHTER, MIA.COURTY BILL RTERMORE: ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'I FIRMLY EMBRACED #IAMANALLY AS A MANTRA. AND AS SOCIAL MEDIA GREW, I WAS PROUD OF PUBLICLY TALKG ABOUT BEG AN ALLY, PROUD OF MIA FOR STANDG UP FOR HER RIGHTS, AND NOT SILENT ABOUT BEG WORRIED ABOUT OUR UNTRY FOR NOT PROTECTG THE RIGHTS OF MIA AND ALL GAYS OR LBIANS. THAT EXPAND TO THE LGBTQ+ WORLD THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.I ALSO BEME AWARE OF SOMETHG ELSE -- SOMETHG SOME PARENTS FELT ABOUT THEIR GAY CHILDREN THE YEARS BEFORE SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS LIKE IVF AND DONOR EGGS BEME AVAILABLE ON A MASS SLE. SOME PARENTS TOLD ME THAT WHILE THEY SUPPORTED THEIR CHILDREN WHO ME OUT, THEY WERE AWARE TYPILLY MEANT THAT, MANY STAT, THEY ULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN OR ADOPT CHILDREN AS A GAY OR LBIAN UPLE. FOR THE PARENTS THAT MEANT NO GRANDKIDS; AND, TRY AS THEY MIGHT TO NOT LET AFFECT THEM, THEY SAID THERE WAS A SADNS TO THAT.BUT WHEN SCIENCE TMPED DARK-AGE PRACTIC AND MEDIL BREAKTHROUGHS ALLOWED FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY TAKE PART THE BIRTH PROCS, PARENTS' HATN MELTED.IT IS ONE REASON THAT MANY BELIEVE SUPPORT FOR SAME SEX MARRIAG EXPLOD DURG THE OBAMA YEARS WH THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE AND A SUPPORTIVE WHE HOE ADMISTRATN.FOR ME, I DID NOT FEEL ANY SUCH HATN. PERHAPS WAS MY UPBRGG. I GREW UP WORKG MY PARENTS' BETY SUPPLY STORE. THEY SOLD PRODUCTS TO THE PUBLIC AND TO HAIR DRSERS AT HAIR SALONS. I WORKED THERE SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK AFTER SCHOOL AND, WHEN I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE, LIVERED ON THE WEEKENDS TO HAIR SALONS.ALL OF WHICH IS TO SAY THAT, THE 1960S, I GREW UP TERACTG WH LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GAY AT A TIME WHEN MOST GAY PEOPLE WERE EHER FLAMBOYANTLY OUT OF THE CLOSET -- OR FIRMLY HIDG .I ALSO GREW UP WH PARENTS WHO WERE PASSNATE SUPPORTERS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. MY 15TH BIRTHDAY PRENT WAS GOG TO OUR TEMPLE AND LISTENG TO DR. MART LUTHER KG JR. SPEAK.MY PARENTS WERE NOT ACTIVISTS BY ANY STRETCH, BUT WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR CTOMERS -- MANY OF WHOM WERE GAY -- THEY MA CLEAR TO THEIR TWO SONS THAT JT AS AIN AMERINS HAD A LACK OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SO TOO DID GAY PEOPLE LARGE PART BEE SO MANY HAD TO KEEP A SECRET ABOUT WHO THEY REALLY WERE.LATER, WHEN I BEME AN ANTI-VIETNAM WAR ACTIVIST, THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT WAS UNRWAY. AND GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISTS WHO WERE PART OF THE ANTI WAR MOVEMENT WERE QUE VOL ABOUT DISCRIMATN AGAST THEM.AS I GREW UP, I BEME MORE AWARE OF THE TOLL LIFE THE CLOSET TAK ON GAYS AND LBIANS. LATER, NEWSROOMS, THERE WERE OLR GAYS AND LBIANS WHO OPENLY TALKED ABOUT HOW STAYG THE CLOSET AFFECTED THEM GROWG UP, AND THEY MA DARN SURE THEY MENTORED THE YOUNGER JOURNALISTS WHO EHER HAD E OUT OR WERE STGGLG WH G OUT.SO WHEN I E THE HASHTAG #IAMANALLY, I GIVE NOT JT WH PRI FOR MY DGHTER, BUT ALSO TO SALUTE THOSE WHO HELPED PAVED THE WAY FOR THE EEDOMS GAYS AND LBIANS NOW EMBRACE, AND WHO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS TO EXPAND THOSE EEDOMS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY.AS WE HERALD ANOTHER PRI MONTH, I'M BEYOND PROUD, ONCE AGA, TO BE AN ALLY. AND I PROMISE TO ALWAYS BE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'OCT 07, 2020ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT FAY—WOMAN BE SURROGATE FOR IENDS: 'WANTED AND LOVED SCE DAY ONE'AUGT 22, 2023CHILD RE CRISIS ULD WORSEN FOR LNS OF FAI ACROSS THE UNTRYAUGT 22, 2023OVER 100K 'TODDLER TOWERS' RELLED DUE TO FALL RISKS, HEAD JURIAUGT 18, 2023OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER UGHT ON MERA RCUG CHOKG CHILDAUGT 17, 2023UP NEXT FAY—WOMAN BE SURROGATE FOR IENDS: 'WANTED AND LOVED SCE DAY ONE'AUGT 22, 2023CHILD RE CRISIS ULD WORSEN FOR LNS OF FAI ACROSS THE UNTRYAUGT 22, 2023OVER 100K 'TODDLER TOWERS' RELLED DUE TO FALL RISKS, HEAD JURIAUGT 18, 2023OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER UGHT ON MERA RCUG CHOKG CHILDAUGT 17, 2023
• JENNA WOLFE, TODAY SHOW ANCHOR, COM OUT AS GAY, ANNOUNC SHE’S EXPECTG A BABY GIRL WH GIRLIEND STEPHANIE GOSK

ABC NEWS APPOTS GAY CORRPONNT G BENEZ AS CO-ANCHOR OF ‘GMA’ WEEKENDS

Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Queer televisn newssters have a proment profile many untri around the world.

HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOG RELATNSHIP BETWEEN ABC'S GAY JOURNALIST DAVID MUIR & G BENEZ

Amerin Charl Perez of ABC News is one to particularly note - he published his book 'Confsns of a Gay News Anchorman' (2011) after his oral of beg fired om a posn Florida when he was intified as beg gay. For example, France, there is L'associatn s journalist LGBT, and Ameri there is the Natnal Lbian & Gay Journalists Associatn.

G BENEZ, GAY REPORTER AT ABC, NAMED ‘GMA’ -ANCHOR

ABC News has promoted gay rrponnt G Benez by namg him one of the work’s flagship weekend programs’ -anchors.

Pri Month 2021 Special: Benez's 'It will all be OK' Letter to His Younger SelfTransportatn Corrponnt for ABC NewsIn 2019’s Natnal Comg Out Day—which is celebrated worldwi on 11 October remembrance of the 1987 Natnal March on Washgton that was held support of lbian and gay rights—Benez dited a letter to his past self. “Qutns that may flip your whole world upsi-down, ” he openly gay Lato journalist, G Benez is the transportatn rrponnt for ABC News.

Is G Benez Gay? G Benez’s Comg Out LetterOn 2019’s Natnal Comg Out Day—which is celebrated worldwi on 11 October remembrance of the 1987 Natnal March on Washgton that was held support of lbian and gay rights—Benez dited a letter to his past self. "The letter further elaborat on younger Benez’s stggle to f societal norms, his enunter wh homophobia his muny and school, and how he ternalized till adulthood.

GAY ABC NEWS ANCHOR OUT WHILE TALKG ABOUT ‘STAR TREK’ ACTOR ZACH QUTO ON THE AIR

The kids at school e the word ‘gay’ as if ’s synonymo wh ‘eww.

SURPRISE! ABC FAY AND FOX ARE THE GAYT NETWORKS ON TV

But that word, ‘gay, ; sticks the longt. Though one iend warns, ‘you n’t be gay and succsful the media, ’ your lleagu will celebrate you. The event brought together leadg lumari om the entertament and sports dtri on 19 May panel discsed the vast range of acplishments, issu, and experienc of LGBTQ+ stars and muny, cludg the creator Ilene Chaiken’s cisn to e out by -creatg LGBTIQ+ seri The L Word for Showtime, actrs Laverne Cox’s reactn to beg the first trans performer of lor to be nomated for an Emmy, the issue of why more sportspersons haven’t e out sce Jason Colls’ breakthrough actns 2013, and how beg told to be ls feme vigorated artist Adam Rippon to bee the first openly gay Amerin to w a 2018 medal at the Wter Olympic Gam among many more.

On the other hand, David Muir is not gay. Frank BniColumnist, The New York Tim@FrankBniFormerly the chief rtrant cric for The New York Tim, Bni ma history 2011 by beg the Grey Lady's first out gay lumnist. The Emerson College assistant profsor is also a producer of the upg film Michael, based on his Tim Magaze piece about his "ex-gay" iend.

THE BT PRODUCTS TO HELP YOUR FAY TRAVEL SMOOTHLYOPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43THE STORY OF THE PRI BYALEX PEREZVIO BYCHRIS CIRILLO AND TONY MORRISONOCTOBER 07, 2020, 4:09 AM•8 M READOCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT.MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT.TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN.THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT.SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y.BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT LIVG—ZOO ASKS PUBLIC TO NAME RARE GIRAFFE BORN WHOUT SPOTSAUGT 22, 2023DOG EATS GROOM-TO-BE'S PASSPORT WEEKS BEFORE TERNATNAL WEDDGAUGT 21, 2023'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONIAUGT 18, 2023CHARY THAT DONAT WEDDG DRS TO ARY, 1ST RPONRS LOS DRS MAJOR FLOODAUGT 18, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—ZOO ASKS PUBLIC TO NAME RARE GIRAFFE BORN WHOUT SPOTSAUGT 22, 2023DOG EATS GROOM-TO-BE'S PASSPORT WEEKS BEFORE TERNATNAL WEDDGAUGT 21, 2023'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONIAUGT 18, 2023CHARY THAT DONAT WEDDG DRS TO ARY, 1ST RPONRS LOS DRS MAJOR FLOODAUGT 18, 2023

Kate FaganWrer, ESPN@KateFagan3ESPN ntributor and lumnist Kate Fagan wr about basketball (and genr and sexism and homophobia) om a place of knowledge and ep, personal appreciatn. David Muir is beg mored as gay the days. It is not yet revealed, nor there is any evince to prove he is gay.

WHO'S GAY ON TV? DADS, JOURNALISTS, INVTIGATORS AND FOOTMEN

David was said to be datg G and was seen visg gay bars together wh him. ABC News Natnal CorrponntFormer reporter at NBC ChigoPerez is openly gay.

” Perez graduated wh a bachelor’s gree broadst journalism om the Universy of Illois Urbana-Champaign 2002 and subsequently began his reer Read: Maggie Rulli - Age, B, ABC News & HbandIs Alex Perez Gay? Perez is openly gay. He then first me out as gay to his mother his mid-20s.

ABC News rrponnt G Benez, who intifi as gay, has been promoted to a permanent -anchor on the weekend edn of “Good Morng Ameri. He won two awards and received a nomatn for his reportg on the lol LGBTQ muny, cludg a two-part vtigatn that exposed anti-gay bullyg of lol high school stunts and the school districts' failure to implement state mandated protectns for LGBTQ stunts.

THE BT PRODUCTS TO HELP YOUR FAY TRAVEL SMOOTHLYOPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHFAYWABC-NY'S BILL RTER: I'M A PROUD LGBTQ+ ALLY AND ALWAYS WILL BE14:36LADY GAGA TO LGBTQ MUNY: 'I WOULD TAKE A BULLET FOR YOU' BYBILL RTERJUNE 22, 2021, 6:48 AMIN CELEBRATN OF PRI MONTH, BILL RTER, ANCHOR AT "EYEWNS NEWS" ON WABC-TV NEW YORK CY, REFLECTS A PERSONAL SAY ABOUT BEG AN LGBTQ+ ALLY. AS A PARENT, BEME EPLY PERSONAL FOR RTER WHEN HIS DGHTER MIA PROUDLY ME OUT AT AGE 17."IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS, THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL," RTER WR. "WHEN 'S PERSONAL, 'S POWERFUL."RTER SAYS HIS ALLYSHIP WH THE LGBTQ+ MUNY BEGAN WHILE WORKG AT HIS PARENTS' BETY SUPPLY STORE THE 1960S AT A TIME WHEN MOST GAY PEOPLE WERE EHER FLAMBOYANTLY OUT OF THE CLOSET OR FIRMLY HIDG .READ RTER'S PERSONAL SAY BELOW ABOUT THE MEANG AND IMPORTANCE OF ALLYSHIP.MY DGHTER MIA WAS 17 WHEN SHE ME OUT. SHE WAS BOLD, SHE WAS HONT, SHE WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD. WHAT SHE WASN'T WAS SRED OF OUR REACTN. SHE KNEW THAT HER BABY BOOMER PARENTS AND HER MORN-DAY FAY WOULD EMBRACE HER PRONOUNCEMENT OF WHO SHE WAS, AND WHO SHE IS.WABC-NY'S BILL RTER SHAR A PHOTO OF HIS DGHTER, MIA.COURTY BILL RTERMY REACTN? I WAS SO PROUD OF MIA'S EXPLORATN, DISVERY AND JOURNEY ABOUT HER INTY.BUT I HAD A SEND, TERNAL REACTN -- ONE OF PARENTAL WORRY, BEE MIA HAD E OUT TO A WORLD THAT DIDN'T SEEM PREPARED TO OFFER HER THE SAME KD OF RIGHTS GUARANTEED TO PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T GAY.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'OCT 07, 2020ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'OCT 11, 2022MORE: ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'THE YEAR WAS 2009, AND JT FOUR STAT HAD LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAG. BUT THE TI WAS CHANGG. SIX YEARS LATER, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAG ALL 50 STAT BY STRIKG DOWN THE BANS ON SAME-SEX UNNS.IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL.I WATCHED THE TIDAL CHANGE DURG THOSE SIX YEARS WH MORE THAN A BYSTANR'S TERT. THIS DIRECTLY AFFECTED MY OLST CHILD, AND I WAS NOT THE SLIGHTT B IMPARTIAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I AM STILL NOT IMPARTIAL. IF A CHILD OF ME WAS BEG DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR WHO SHE IS, THEN THAT CIVIL RIGHTS VLATN WASN'T JT AGAST HER, WAS AGAST ME AS WELL.IT STILL IS. AND, FACT, 'S AGAST ALL OF . I FELT THIS BEFORE MIA ME OUT. I FELT ON BEHALF OF OTHER PARENTS OF GAYS AND LBIANS. BUT THERE'S NO QUTN, WHEN 'S PERSONAL, 'S POWERFUL.WABC-NY'S BILL RTER SHAR A PHOTO WH HIS DGHTER, MIA.COURTY BILL RTERMORE: ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'I FIRMLY EMBRACED #IAMANALLY AS A MANTRA. AND AS SOCIAL MEDIA GREW, I WAS PROUD OF PUBLICLY TALKG ABOUT BEG AN ALLY, PROUD OF MIA FOR STANDG UP FOR HER RIGHTS, AND NOT SILENT ABOUT BEG WORRIED ABOUT OUR UNTRY FOR NOT PROTECTG THE RIGHTS OF MIA AND ALL GAYS OR LBIANS. THAT EXPAND TO THE LGBTQ+ WORLD THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.I ALSO BEME AWARE OF SOMETHG ELSE -- SOMETHG SOME PARENTS FELT ABOUT THEIR GAY CHILDREN THE YEARS BEFORE SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS LIKE IVF AND DONOR EGGS BEME AVAILABLE ON A MASS SLE. SOME PARENTS TOLD ME THAT WHILE THEY SUPPORTED THEIR CHILDREN WHO ME OUT, THEY WERE AWARE TYPILLY MEANT THAT, MANY STAT, THEY ULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN OR ADOPT CHILDREN AS A GAY OR LBIAN UPLE. FOR THE PARENTS THAT MEANT NO GRANDKIDS; AND, TRY AS THEY MIGHT TO NOT LET AFFECT THEM, THEY SAID THERE WAS A SADNS TO THAT.BUT WHEN SCIENCE TMPED DARK-AGE PRACTIC AND MEDIL BREAKTHROUGHS ALLOWED FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY TAKE PART THE BIRTH PROCS, PARENTS' HATN MELTED.IT IS ONE REASON THAT MANY BELIEVE SUPPORT FOR SAME SEX MARRIAG EXPLOD DURG THE OBAMA YEARS WH THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE AND A SUPPORTIVE WHE HOE ADMISTRATN.FOR ME, I DID NOT FEEL ANY SUCH HATN. PERHAPS WAS MY UPBRGG. I GREW UP WORKG MY PARENTS' BETY SUPPLY STORE. THEY SOLD PRODUCTS TO THE PUBLIC AND TO HAIR DRSERS AT HAIR SALONS. I WORKED THERE SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK AFTER SCHOOL AND, WHEN I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE, LIVERED ON THE WEEKENDS TO HAIR SALONS.ALL OF WHICH IS TO SAY THAT, THE 1960S, I GREW UP TERACTG WH LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GAY AT A TIME WHEN MOST GAY PEOPLE WERE EHER FLAMBOYANTLY OUT OF THE CLOSET -- OR FIRMLY HIDG .I ALSO GREW UP WH PARENTS WHO WERE PASSNATE SUPPORTERS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. MY 15TH BIRTHDAY PRENT WAS GOG TO OUR TEMPLE AND LISTENG TO DR. MART LUTHER KG JR. SPEAK.MY PARENTS WERE NOT ACTIVISTS BY ANY STRETCH, BUT WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR CTOMERS -- MANY OF WHOM WERE GAY -- THEY MA CLEAR TO THEIR TWO SONS THAT JT AS AIN AMERINS HAD A LACK OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SO TOO DID GAY PEOPLE LARGE PART BEE SO MANY HAD TO KEEP A SECRET ABOUT WHO THEY REALLY WERE.LATER, WHEN I BEME AN ANTI-VIETNAM WAR ACTIVIST, THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT WAS UNRWAY. AND GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISTS WHO WERE PART OF THE ANTI WAR MOVEMENT WERE QUE VOL ABOUT DISCRIMATN AGAST THEM.AS I GREW UP, I BEME MORE AWARE OF THE TOLL LIFE THE CLOSET TAK ON GAYS AND LBIANS. LATER, NEWSROOMS, THERE WERE OLR GAYS AND LBIANS WHO OPENLY TALKED ABOUT HOW STAYG THE CLOSET AFFECTED THEM GROWG UP, AND THEY MA DARN SURE THEY MENTORED THE YOUNGER JOURNALISTS WHO EHER HAD E OUT OR WERE STGGLG WH G OUT.SO WHEN I E THE HASHTAG #IAMANALLY, I GIVE NOT JT WH PRI FOR MY DGHTER, BUT ALSO TO SALUTE THOSE WHO HELPED PAVED THE WAY FOR THE EEDOMS GAYS AND LBIANS NOW EMBRACE, AND WHO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS TO EXPAND THOSE EEDOMS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY.AS WE HERALD ANOTHER PRI MONTH, I'M BEYOND PROUD, ONCE AGA, TO BE AN ALLY. AND I PROMISE TO ALWAYS BE.EDOR’S PICKSABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'OCT 07, 2020ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCT 11, 2022ABC NEWS' STEVE OSUNSAMI WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'YOU'RE GOG TO FD TE LOVE'OCT 11, 2022UP NEXT FAY—WOMAN BE SURROGATE FOR IENDS: 'WANTED AND LOVED SCE DAY ONE'AUGT 22, 2023CHILD RE CRISIS ULD WORSEN FOR LNS OF FAI ACROSS THE UNTRYAUGT 22, 2023OVER 100K 'TODDLER TOWERS' RELLED DUE TO FALL RISKS, HEAD JURIAUGT 18, 2023OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER UGHT ON MERA RCUG CHOKG CHILDAUGT 17, 2023UP NEXT FAY—WOMAN BE SURROGATE FOR IENDS: 'WANTED AND LOVED SCE DAY ONE'AUGT 22, 2023CHILD RE CRISIS ULD WORSEN FOR LNS OF FAI ACROSS THE UNTRYAUGT 22, 2023OVER 100K 'TODDLER TOWERS' RELLED DUE TO FALL RISKS, HEAD JURIAUGT 18, 2023OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER UGHT ON MERA RCUG CHOKG CHILDAUGT 17, 2023

"Kloeffler add: "As a journalist, I don't want to be the story, but as a gay man I don't want to stand silent if I n offer some spiratn or enuragement to kids that might be stgglg wh who they are.

JENNA WOLFE, TODAY SHOW ANCHOR, COM OUT AS GAY, ANNOUNC SHE’S EXPECTG A BABY GIRL WH GIRLIEND STEPHANIE GOSK

I first told a iend when I was 16 that I thought I uld be gay.