This year probably broke the record for the most news stories about coming out of the closet. From the personal stories of college athletes, religious leaders, or an Olympic gold medalist, the general public realized what so many of us already knew: the closet is a trap that saps energy and makes life miserable.
About 50 celebrities, athletes, and other newsmakers came out in 2015; and every time someone famous takes that step, it promotes discussion and expands awareness. The complexity of experiences is revealed when one learns that they know someone who is LGBT or pansexual (Miley Cyrus) or no particular gender (Eliot Sumner, child of Sting and Trudie Styler). This inspires and encourages ordinary LGBTs to take that public step to come out.
Sometimes, a person's coming out is not planned, but precipitated by unforeseen circumstances. That was the case with National Basketball Association veteran referee Bill Kennedy, who was called a "faggot" by Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo this month. Rondo was suspended for one game by the NBA, while Kennedy earned plaudits for affirming that he's a gay man.
Various national personalities in Ireland came out before voters headed to the polls to decide a referendum on same-sex marriage. It passed easily, and we suspect that those who came out, including Irish journalist Ursula Halligan, Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar, and Father Martin Dolan, a Catholic priest, each helped to move public opinion in their own way.
And of course, Caitlyn Jenner was the most prominent person to come out in 2015. Jenner was given the full treatment: a sit-down TV interview with Diane Sawyer, an attention-getting Vanity Fair cover announcing her new name, and a TV reality show featuring her among several transgender friends. But for all the backlash �" there was a change.org petition calling for the International Olympic Committee to revoke Jenner's gold medal �" and awkward first steps, Jenner gave the majority of Americans their first glimpse of a transgender woman. It's true that most trans people lack Jenner's wealth and celebrity status as a member of the Kardashian clan, but count us surprised that one of her most vocal early supporters was none other than rapper Kanye West, Jenner's son-in-law and the husband of Kim Kardashian.
It hasn't been all about Jenner either. Her story led an increased interest in the subject by focusing on the personal struggles of other trans people. The New York Times delved into the plight of transgender prisoners and the process for a trans woman to get surgery. The Bay Area Reporter this month did a piece about an Oakland trans man's long quest for surgery. We also reported extensively on San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's plan to house jailed trans inmates based on how they identify rather than the sex they're assigned at birth. In all of these stories, readers were given a crash course in what it means to be trans, whether wealthy, middle class, or incarcerated.
The uptick in mainstream coverage of trans issues can be credited with dashing the chances for an anti-trans ballot initiative in California. For the second time in as many years, advocates failed to collect enough valid signatures for the measure. This version would have required trans people to use facilities in government buildings and public schools based on the gender they were assigned at birth, in addition to allowing anyone to sue those who didn't adhere to the law. We think Californians are tired of voting on these wedge issues and turned off by being asked to legalize discrimination. But we also think that the increase in coverage of trans people has humanized the issue; and the more that happens, the more the LGBT community will prevail in out fight for equality.
So, if you've come out this year, congratulations for embracing your whole self and sharing your story with others. If you haven't yet taken that step, 2016 might just be the year to do so.
Happy New Year.