There’s been a revolution happening across the United States.
In classrooms, on social media, and within families, young people are coming out earlier than ever and with a broader range of identities.
It’s a far cry from previous generations who came out later, more carefully or not at all. The cultural shift is primarily due to growing acceptance.
However, some adults still struggle to reveal their authentic selves.
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In a recent Gallup survey, approximately 18%—of LGBTQ+ Americans say they are comfortable only telling Gallup surveyors who they are, acknowledging they are not comfortable informing others in their intimate circle of family and friends.
The Gallup study did not discuss how coming out is viewed in various ethnic communities. For example, in the Black community, because of a complex interplay of cultural, religious, and social factors, coming out often presents a unique set of challenges, including a sense of stigma and even shame.
Seth Pinnock, 35, a United Kingdom national who also splits time between New York and London, comes from a highly religious family. He founded a gospel choir and youth orchestra, and in many people’s eyes, he was a young evangelist to watch.
“I grew up in the Black Pentecostal church, and it consumed my world. I was known in London circles as the poster child of the Christian space,” he says.
Because of his allegiance to the conservative church and his family, Pinnock was reluctant to come out. It remained a secret among those closest to him until his 35th birthday earlier this year when he wrote a poem declaring that he was “Black, Queer, Christian, Here.”
He writes: “I free myself from mental captivity. I’ll sing out the cage and fly with sincerity. Above the lies, rumors, and accurate fables. I move on and upwards from each of those cradles.”
Pinnock coming out was well received. However, that’s always the case.
Some members of the LGBTQ+ community are “outed” or forced to reveal their sexual identity before they are ready to invite people in. That’s the story of 33-year-old Olivet Qwesi Aggrey-Fynn, originally from Ghana but who lives in Chicago by the name Makiava.
In Cape Coast, a small Ghanaian town, it is customary for families to know each other intimately. Makiava says his mother forced him to reveal the truth as a teenager, before he was emotionally ready.
“I was sixteen years old when she asked, and it all started because someone in our town saw me with another gay teenager and reported it to my mother,” he recalls today.
The revelation was not easy to navigate for Makiava. His conservative religious family ordered him to go through several programs to “pray the gay away.” His life would only get worse from there. Working with LGBTQ+ organizations in Ghana, he was constantly attacked and even jailed for living in his in truth.
“I was attacked three times for being gay while living in Ghana and always called homophobic slurs, so I knew I needed to be in a place where I wasn’t constantly in harm’s way,” he says.
The attacks on Makiava happened on another continent. However, according to the Gallup study, about one in four LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. say they have received poor treatment or harassment frequently.
The study also points out that America has significantly changed for the better in terms of the way the majority view the LGBTQ+ community. However, societal changes are no guarantee that everyone will be well received. According to a national report commissioned by the Point Foundation in partnership with the Williams Institute, many still receive harsh and unfair treatment upon their revelations.
Pinnock and Makiava are now living their most authentic lives, and they serve as examples of what is possible when you open up and face your fears. Since coming out the sky has been the limit for both of them. Pinnock, uses his platform to inspire locals in London as well as across the globe.
“Because of coming out stories, there are young people worldwide who will read this and now feel they can be free too,” says Pinnock.
Makiava is now in a thriving relationship with his partner and since coming out continues to volunteer with LGBTQ+ organizations in Chicago.
The two of them are part of a small number of people ready to live out loud. While the landscape is slowly changing, it is clear that more work needs to be done to ensure that all individuals, regardless of race, can come out in an environment of support and understanding.
There are resources available to help people who may need help coming out. To learn more, visit the LGBT National Help Center.
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