High school senior comes out as LGBT while accepting award

[FourScore]

What a brave kid!

The Lookout
High school senior comes out as LGBT while accepting award
By Mike Krumboltz, Yahoo! News | The Lookout

#!


Coming out as LGBT is rarely easy, which makes Jacob Rudolph's story all the more impressive. When the high school student in Parsippany, N.J., came out, he did so in front of the entire school. His classmates responded with a standing ovation.

During the presentation of senior class awards, Rudolph was given the Class Actor award, an irony not lost on him. "Sure I've been in a few plays and musicals, but more importantly, I've been acting every single day of my life," Rudolph said. "You see, I've been acting as someone I'm not."

Rudolph continued:

Most of you see me every day. You see me acting the part of "straight" Jacob, when I am in fact LGBT. Unlike millions of other LGBT teens who have had to act every day to avoid verbal harassment and physical violence, I'm not going to do it anymore. It's time to end the hate in our society and accept the people for who they are regardless of their sex, race, orientation, or whatever else may be holding back love and friendship. So take me, leave me, or move me out of the way. Because I am what I am, and that's how I'm going to act from now on.

Footage of Rodolph's speech and its positive reception was uploaded to the Web by his father, who noted on the video that it "took more guts to do than anything I've ever attempted in my life..."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/high-school-senior-comes-gay-while-accepting-award-230305217.html

[eShirl]

1. awesome kid

[Bucky]

2. Well, that took balls, But you know who I'm really proud of?

That whole school. I bitch about kids today all the time. I'm a teacher, so I'm paid to bitch. But one thing about this next generation is that they don't have the same insecurities and hatreds that made coming out so scary for so many people for generations. We're more accepting of people as people. That gives me hope. Perhaps more hope than the fear for the future I'll feel when I get back our results on the Unit 6 test.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Yeah... well. Maybe. But I'm not so sure:

http://www.nohomophobes.com/#!/today/

[gtar100]

3. He's a fortunate young man to find such an important part of himself at such a young age.

He made his acceptance of himself public. That takes some serious courage. I'm in awe of both him and everyone who clapped for him.

[xchrom]

5. Du rec. Nt

[FourScore]

6. kick

[bigwillq]

7. K and R

[Demo_Chris]

8. I particularly liked that...

The other kids were all seemingly like "Yeah, so?"

That's progress.

[MineralMan]

9. Awesome!

That took a lot of courage.

[Zorra]

10. This: "I'm not going to do it anymore. It's time to end the hate in our society..."

^^^^^^^^That^^^^^^^^

Just wow, so well done.


Come out, come out, wherever you are.

Whoever you are....

"It's time to end the hate in our society and accept the people for who they are regardless of their sex, race, orientation, or whatever else may be holding back love and friendship. So take me, leave me, or move me out of the way. Because I am what I am, and that's how I'm going to act from now on."

It's time to end the hate in our society.