Coming Out

(Harvey Milk, Castro St)

Every now and then – only when I can’t help myself – I refer to Annelien as “my friend.” Of course, she is my friend. She is my best friend. But she is also much more than that and I feel immediately mortified when I misrepresent the facts. And I don’t feel embarrassed because I am a lawyer and I think in some weird way that I am under oath all the time. No, I am embarrassed because it’s just bad to be too chicken to tell the truth. Some great role models have done much better than I.

There is energetic Rachel Maddow, for instance. I watch her news show when I work out at the gym. Last week, I was so focused on cheeky Rachel’s comments that I slowed down, listened in and got thrown off the treadmill. It was an awkward moment. I quickly looked over my shoulder; luckily, the other athletes seemed all very focused on their rowing machines, steppers and exercise balls. No one had seen me! I regained my composure and listened in closer. Rachel Maddow is the smartest news anchor I know and also the most courageous one. Don’t look at her picture on Wikipedia. For one, her looks are totally irrelevant; she is smart and that’s the only thing that matters for a political analyst. And also, you may not want to look because the Wikipedia authors haven’t exactly posted her most flattering picture. She is, of course, way more good-looking in real life.

Ellen DeGeneres is my other gym incentive. I know, she is less scholarly than Rachel Maddow (who was a Rhodes Scholar), but she cracks me up because she is really witty. Both Ellen DeGeneres and Rachel Maddow are invaluable role models for young gays and lesbians. I felt like I was the loneliest person in the world when I was a kid. I was certain that there was no one like me. Women like Rachel Maddow and Ellen DeGeneres are the models we need and – this may sound overly dramatic, but it’s not – they help save lives. Surveys have shown that suicide rates of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are significantly higher than those of their peers – some studies say they are four times higher. Kids who were rejected by their families have even higher suicide rates. It’s alarming and it’s not surprising. It has also been shown that when people know someone who is gay or lesbian, they are more likely to be in favor of equal rights. And that’s why we all should come out and make it easier for others to come out and to be proud. Happy Gay Pride!