The Role of Courage in Being Gay
By Andy Heath
Many people in our community spend their entire lives in the closet. And there is good reason for that. There have been times in the past when a gay person could have been killed for coming out of the closet, and indeed have been. I may never forget the story of Matthew Shepherd who was murdered several years ago.
Times are a little different now, and our country is different too. It is true that it is possible to be killed for coming out of the closet and it is especially possible in some countries like those in the Middle East. But in this country, the worst that can happen (which is still bad) is that your social structure collapses. That is a very very painful process, and I can tell you I would not want to have to go through it ever again.
But the fact is, every time the sun goes behind a cloud, it always comes back out again. Just wait long enough and things really do get better. There is laughter and joy after coming out of the closet, and it's an even greater joy than before because you have the courage to be authentic.
I understand that coming out of the closet is something you have to do when you're ready, but I encourage every gay person to work to ready themselves for this great transition. Not everyone will hate you. Some will have immense respect for you, and you might find you even have immense respect for yourself.
