It takes courage to be yourself. Being authentic is a hard thing to do in the world we live in. Peer pressure and fear of being accepted are barriers to people living as people they want to be. For those who are different its even harder.
I salute anyone who is brave enough to acknowledge to the world who they are. “Coming Out” means being who you are at the risk of losing connection and the love of family and friends. It’s sad that it happens so often to good people who just want to love and to be loved unconditionally.
Ellen Page is the latest person to say who she is. I know there are lots of famous people who have the support of their community but for many they face isolation and ridicule. Those kids who know they aren’t like the other kids find life to be difficult.
I am a believer in God and my call is to love and respect people for who they are, not who I want them to be. I am proud to say I have many friends who are LGBTQ and I will love and support them to live the life they want. Many of my gay friends are in committed relationships, they are also church goers. To me its about loving and supporting them in a world that doesn’t entirely understand the life they are living.
To those who struggle with this know you have a friend who wants to know more and is open minded. You all have value and I believe God loves you.
The Tumblr Years of Tony Burgess 