In 2001 my country (the Netherlands) was the first country in the world to allow gay marriage. I was 11. I grew up in a country where Dutch gay celebs would talk about their husbands or wives or boyfriends or girlfriends and it was normal. It is normal. To me it is part of life.
You usually get to that part where you get curious. You think about what you feel and who you feel for. Is it boys, girls or both? Honestly, I never doubted myself. Of course I have thought about the idea. Could I be into girls? Could I like them as much as I like boys? But in all honesty, I never doubted myself. I knew that I'm straight. I can still appreciate a beautiful woman, same as with handsome men. But no, I could never love a woman the way I love a men.
Growing up in a country like mine made me grow up with the idea that being gay or straight is nothing to be ashamed about. It is who you are and you should be accepted for who you are. But then again, why is it important for other people to know your sexual orientation?
When Joey Graceffa wasn't out yet, there were so many comments on his video's of people asking if he was gay. I thought he was (and honestly it was just a presumption) but is it really important? Is it not more important to know that this man is happy? That he is loved by someone being and that he knows joy in life? Because that is what we want right? To be loved. As soon as he said it he had a huge smile on his face.
So stumbling upon a top 9 list of coming out video's put me to think. Why do the gay people have to make a coming out video to explain their orientation to us, and the straight people don't? It made me realise that, even though the world has made progress by slowly accepting gay marriage, there is still a long, long way to go.
When Ingrid Nilson came out last year she made me cry. Mostly because she explained her struggles and I felt so bad for her. Here is a beautiful woman, who has shared her life with us and she hasn't been happy for many years. When she really does deserve to be happy.
I don't know if writing this will change anything in the world. Will it help people accept others? I don't know. I don't feel like I have given any reason. People can spout religion as a reason agains gays or they could be just so closed-minded that they cannot exept another person for who they are.
I just hope that - in a few years - people don't have to make these coming out video's anymore. I hope that it will be as normal to be gay as to be straight. I want people to feel safe enough to be themselves. I want them to be able to be happy and that they can just casually talk about their boyfriends or girlsfriends without it being news.
For now, I want to applaud those who have found the courage to film their coming out video's. In the society we live in, it must have been very difficult. I hope you all found someone to love and that your life has changed for the better. Let's hope it is not neccesary in the future.
Lots of love, Chantal
