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While Baer's story is one with a heartwarming ending, it’s important to acknowledge that many queer people still struggle emotionally after coming out. Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow was 73 when he first spoke publicly about being gay Oscar-winning actor Joel Grey did so at 82. And over the past few years, several prominent older celebrities have come out, too.
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Netflix's moving new documentary, A Secret Love, chronicles a lesbian couple (Pat Henschel and Terry Donahue) who didn’t come out to family members until they reached their eighties. "Whether you come out at 16 or 60, there is validity in your experience and bravery in sharing your truth with the world." "Coming out is an intimate and personal decision, and everyone deserves the opportunity to come out safely on their own time," says Mathew Lasky, GLAAD’s Director of Communications. The landmark mainstream 2018 rom-com Love, Simon made strides in showing a closeted gay high schooler coming out to friends and family and getting a boyfriend.īut even benchmarks like that don't mean all queer people feel ready to embrace their sexuality by the time they leave home. Recently, a number of surveys report that queer people are coming out at younger ages than ever before as they benefit from growing (though not widespread) acceptance and better LGBTQ representation in the media. For many LGBTQ people, coming out can be an evolving process of being honest with yourself, then a confidant, then family members and classmates or co-workers-if you’re comfortable and ready to do so. Coming out isn’t like flicking a switch or moving to a new city.