Social media users in the United States are sharing stories and photos in celebration of National Coming Out Day, with famous members of the LGBTIQ+ community using their platforms to spread a message of acceptance and love.
"There were times when I wrote songs about girls that my fans thought I wrote about guys," singer Demi Lovato, who hosted Facebook Watch event 'Coming Out 2020', said of her journey to coming out as bisexual in 2017.
"I'm surprised that some of them didn't figure out that some of the songs were for certain people. I was sharing it with the world and yet I wasn't being completely obvious with what I was talking about. Music was my safe space."
Queer Eye star Tan France, who co-hosted the event with Lovato: added: "Coming Out Day isn't necessarily meant to be the day you come out, unless you really, really want to. You do you."
He continued: "It's more of a day to reflect and support the journey of others."
On Twitter, members of the LGBTIQ+ community shared their own stories.
"I grew up in a highly conservative suburb of Dallas, fearful of what it meant to be a gay Asian man in Texas & academia," one social media user wrote.
"Four years ago, I first came out (a lifelong process) to my friends and family. Today, I'm incredibly proud to be openly #LGBTQIAInSTEM."
Another wrote: "Lil Kevin didn’t know how to name what he felt for awhile, but because he had incredible friends and family, he figured it out and is a raging homo. Thank god."
He added: "The only timeline that matters, is the one you make. We’re here when you’re ready."
