News Anchor Comes Out On-Air With One Simple Word

Sometimes, it only takes one word to come out and live your life authentically. During a recent broadcast, Spectrum News 1 Ohio anchor Taylor Bruck came out to viewers with what she called one “simple yet scary word.” “A seemingly simple yet scary word… I said ‘girlfriend’ on air for the first time today,” Bruck wrote on her Instagram. “Some people may say ‘ok, who cares?’ but to me, it’s a step toward accepting and loving myself fully and being authentic on and off the air.” She closed the message with “IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS” before adding some champagne and celebration emojis. Watch the clip below. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0HkfqBR35L/ Bruck, 25, tells PEOPLE that the decision to “come out” on-air was a “spur-of-the-moment” thing.

“I told myself, ‘Just say it,’” she shares. “When I finally said it out loud, I smiled inside because it was a big moment for me.”

“Messages are pouring in from all around the world, including Ghana, Germany, Australia, London, as well as many states across the U.S.,” Bruck shared with PEOPLE. “People are telling me how much this visibility means to them and that they’re so proud of me.”

Coming out on-air was significant for Bruck, who has always been “very open” about being gay on social media. “I always try to encourage others to live their truths, so I decided to fully live mine,” she says.

The post has garnered over 202K likes on Instagram and over 116K views on TikTok. Congrats to Taylor! https://twitter.com/people/status/1734277875656794404