Tag: coming out

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Georgia: Young gay turned out by family directs donations to local homeless shelter

A Georgia man, Daniel Ashley Pierce, who’s video depicting physical abuse by family members during his coming out went viral, has seen a crowd-funding campaign set up in his name soar to almost $100,000 in funds to help him.

Now, Daniel has asked his friends to stop donating to the campaign and direct donations to an Atlanta-based LGBT homeless shelter.  From Daniel:

Thank you to everyone from around America and all over the world for your support in the past several days. This has been a rough time for me and I never imagined that so many people would show such overwhelming compassion and generosity.

[snip]

I’ve asked my friends to discontinue donations to the GoFundMe page, but if you would still like to give money and help the LGBTQ youth homeless crisis, please visit the Lost-n-Found Youth website at www.Lost-n-Found.org for more information on how you can make a difference for the many other kids in the world like me.

Rick Westbrook, Executive Director for Lost-n-Found, says the organization has received approximately $10,000 in funds from Daniel’s request.

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Georgia: Young man who experienced physical abuse in coming out to family shares with Dr. Drew

Daniel Ashley Pierce, whose coming out to his family turned into physical abuse resulting in his being “disowned” and thrown out of his home, was interviewed via phone by Dr. Drew Pinsky on HLN today.

Pierce was asked about his outlook at life having experienced both the ugliness of his family’s reaction and the widespread positive support he’s received, in part through a GoFundMe campaign set up by his boyfriend to help him get on his feet.

Via the Advocate:

“I am so overwhelmed with joy,” Pierce told the panelists of the massive outpouring of support sparked by the video’s viral fame. “I am very blessed to have all of the comments and the messages and everything that everyone has done — the donations, all of that — has been a big surprise. It’s helping me get through the day.”

“I want to give a portion of it back to the cause,” Pierce said. “I’m going to get actively involved with as many organizations as I can. My main focus with the video was … I want to bring awareness that this is still happening. If it saves one kid the misery of what I went through, I will be satisfied.”

At this writing, the GoFundMe campaign – originally set up with a goal of $2,000 has raised more than $80,000. Pierce says he plans to use part of the funds to help other LGBT youth.

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20 year old Georgia man finds physical abuse in coming out to family, but kindness from strangers

I’m updating this post from yesterday when I reported on a 20 year-old man in Georgia who found verbal and physical abuse in coming out to his family.

The good news appears to be that good-hearted strangers are opening their wallets to help young Daniel Ashley Pierce avoid being homeless with a GoFundMe campaign that, at this writing, has raised over $63K.

The story began with the posting of a video made by Daniel as he tried to address coming out to his family.

On Facebook, Daniel Ashley Pierce posted this yesterday:

“What a day…. i thought that waking up at 9:48 and being 15 mins late to work was going to be the biggest problem today. but i didn’t know that my biggest problem was going to be getting disowned and kicked out of my home of almost twenty years. to add insult to injury my step mother punched me in the face repeatedly with my grandmother cheering her along. i am still in complete shock and disbelief….”

Daniel added to the original Facebook video thread “Physically i am okay my step mother did a number on my face and lip but its not worth me worrying about.”

Daniel’s family has not contacted the media, but Daniel does share that his family asked that he take down the video that captures their repugnant behavior.  I hope the video stays on the internet forever to remind folks of the dangers and hideous behavior that can be inflicted on youth as they deal with who they are.

I’m glad to see that Daniel is now in safe quarters with supportive family and friends.

There are thousands of “at-risk” homeless LGBT youth who are out in the cold without support because of similar experiences in coming out.  As I celebrate the internet’s fantastic support of Daniel, I do ask that if you are moved by this story, to remember shelters like the fantastic Ali Forney Center in NYC which helps over 1,000 young people a year if and when you have a few dollars to donate.

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Son comes out to family, gets physically abused and disowned

Very sad story. A young Georgia man comes out to his family – probably one of the most vulnerable moments in his life.

From the clip description, Daniel was given two choices – attend a “pray the gay away” intervention or be disowned by his family.  The discussion quickly escalates to shouting and then physical abuse.

It’s tough to listen to but this is how coming out can go for some folks. And it’s hideous. From the grandmother:

“Since you have chosen that path, we will not support you any longer. You will need to move out and find wherever you can to live, and do what you want to. ‘Cause I will not let people believe that I condone what you do.”

I do encourage everyone to listen and hear the bile in his family’s voices. It’s important to understand the hate young people coming out can face. Then, please share this link.  If you ever wondered why LGBT advocates raise their voices, here you go.

A post on Reddit by someone who says they are his boyfriend wrote this:

Bros, my boyfriend got kicked out of his home and disowned yesterday. It’s been a really traumatic experience for him, and I feel so terrible and angry that this happened.
Fortunately, he’s living with a friend for now. Seems like he can be there long-term until he’s able to support himself.
I’m so sad that so many people have to go something like this. For any of you that have, what’s the best way I can support him?

A fundraiser has been set up to help Daniel get on his feet since he was kicked out of his home.

Thinking best thoughts for Daniel. Please do the same.

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Jason Collins shares his coming out experience in a media firestorm in hour long chat

At last week’s 2014 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association summit, ESPN NBA editor Kevin Arnovitz sat down with out NBA-er Jason Collins for an extended chat on his experience with the media while coming out in the major leagues. Continue reading “Jason Collins shares his coming out experience in a media firestorm in hour long chat”

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Christian rock star Vicky Beeching gives anti-gay Scott Lively a beat down in first interview since coming out

Christian rock singer Vicky Beeching

Christian rock star Vicky Beeching schools the virulently anti-gay Scott Lively on the realities of people being both Christian and gay.

Scott Lively is famous for many things “anti-gay,” among which IS his participation in pushing the “Kill The Gays” bill in Uganda – which gets brought up here and he again denies. Lively is currently on trial for crimes against humanity for his part in the Uganda law.

Props to Vicky for handling herself so well.

Scott Lively
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Ian Thorpe on coming out: “I can finally ‘breathe out'”

In his interview with Sir Michael Parkinson last night, Olympian Ian Thorpe explained that he feared losing a sense of his integrity by coming out as gay.

From the Guardian:

On Sunday night on Australian television Thorpe faced Sir Michael Parkinson to overturn what he said had become the “big lie” in his life.

“What happened was, I felt that the lie had become so big that I didn’t want people to question my integrity and a little bit of ego comes into this,” Thorpe said in a 90-minute interview on the Ten network.

“I didn’t want people to think that I had lied about everything.”

“I’m not straight and this is only something that very recently – we’re talking in the past two weeks – I’ve been comfortable telling the closest people around me.”

[…]

“I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man.

“And I don’t want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay.

“I was concerned about the reaction from my family, my friends and I’m pleased to say that in telling them, especially my parents, they told me that they love me, and they support me. And for young people out there, know that that’s usually what the answer is.”

[…]

“I’m a little bit ashamed that I didn’t come out earlier, that I didn’t have the strength to do it, I didn’t have the courage to do it, to break that lie.

“But everyone goes on their own path to do this.”

It was only two years ago, in his autobiography This Is Me that he continued to deny the rumors that he was gay.

When the interview goes to air in Australia, Thorpe said, he can finally “breathe out.”

A transcript of Thorpe’s interview is here.

Ian Thorpe receives support from all over the world since coming out

From Ian Thorpe’s autobiography “This Is Me”
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Olympic champion swimmer Ian Thorpe comes out as gay

Australia's Ian Thorpe, Olympic and world champion swimmer comes out as gay

After years of personal struggles with depression and rumors about his sexuality that he called painful, Olympic champion swimmer Ian Thorpe has come out in an in-depth interview with British interviewer Sir Michael Parkinson.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Thorpe made the admission in a tell-all interview with Sir Michael Parkinson, News Corp reports.

The interview, which will air on Sunday night on Channel Ten, has been described by Sir Michael as one he had wanted to do for a long time.

“Ian Thorpe has always been near the top of my list to interview. The reasons are obvious. Not many athletes can claim to be the best of all time. Ian can.”

Before he retired for the first time at the age of 24, Thorpe broke 22 world records and won five gold and three silver medals and one bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

In his 2012 autobiography, This is Me, Thorpe confronted the speculation head-on: ”For the record, I am not gay and all my sexual experiences have been straight. I’m attracted to women, I love children and aspire to have a family one day … I know what it’s like to grow up and be told what your sexuality is, then realising that it’s not the full reality. I was accused of being gay before I knew who I was.”

The interview, described as very emotional, airs Sunday night at 6pm on Channel Ten.

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WWE legend Pat Patterson comes out at age 73

Seventy-three year-old wrestling legend Pat Patterson recently revealed he’s been living in the closet more than 50 years.

On the finale of World Wrestling Entertainment reality series “Legends House,” the WWE veteran came out as gay.

“For once in my life I’m going to be me,” Patterson told the others, adding that while it was hard to keep his secret, he was proud he survived.

The 73-year-old told his fellow wrestling legends that he had lived with his secret for over 50 years. He also shared that he had a “friend” for 40 years but lost him to a heart attack.

“We love you Pat,” his teary-eyed Legends mates told him, in a heartwarming show of support. “We’ve always loved you.”

Patterson was the WWE’s first Intercontinental Champion and is currently a WWE executive.

(via Out)

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The guys at AsapSCIENCE come out – again

Regular readers of The Randy Report know I love to feature uber-smart and user-friendly videos from the guys at AsapSCIENCE.

As I often mention, watching their clever videos can “make you smarter in two minutes.” And isn’t great to learn a little something new every day?

Apparently, due to negative and homophobic comments on the AsapSCIENCE YouTube pages, the guys decided to come out – again.

Greg and Mitch, who are a couple, say they’ve been out for years.  In the video, they offer their thoughts on the visibility of out gays in science, and how avoiding the issue could have been seen as being back in the closet in some ways.

Great thoughts here on why it’s important to authentically be who we are in the world.

Thanks again, guys, for a great video that makes you think.