We all love Miriam Margolyes (pictured), the award-winning actress, but I can't agree with her counselling against coming out by gays and lesbians.She disclosed this week that coming out as a lesbian caused her mother to have a severe stroke. That was, however, 40 years ago. Times were different.
Apart from that, coming out is the most powerful thing a lesbian or gay person can do. It's especially important for those who might be role models to come out, too, because that will give young people the confidence to own their sexuality, to respect their sexuality, not to be afraid of their sexuality, ultimately to be proud of their sexuality.
The more we're out, the more we can come out, and the more of us can come out. Attitudes like this can only bring about the situation whereby prejudice justifies prejudice, and we're in a vicious circle. If there were not so many prejudices against gay people, there would simply be no need for the kind of caution Margoyles advises.
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