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Memories of Coming Out: Day 2

On October 11 millions of openly gay Americans will reflect on the day they took those brave first steps out of the closet, providing support and encouragement to others who have yet to find their voice. On the second day of our coming-out series, Brooke Knows Best star Glenn Douglas Packard (pictured), SAGE executive director Michael Adams, and Family Equality Council executive director Jennifer Chrisler share their coming-out stories.

An Advocate.com exclusive posted October 8, 2008

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Glenn Douglas Packard, actor-dancer (Brooke Knows Best)

The coming-out story that sticks out the most for me would be my national coming-out on Brooke Knows Best. When Hulk Hogan, an icon in the wrestling industry who has a lot of straight men looking up to him, asked on a scale from 1 to 10 how gay I am, it was simple to answer because I know who I am. So I responded -- 10!

Because I grew up a small-town farm boy in Michigan, I think a lot of young men in the smaller states and towns across America responded to learning more about my story -- they no longer felt so alone, because even though there are a lot of us in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, there are still a ton of young men scared to come out and feeling very alone in those other areas. By my standing up to the Hulk, they saw that they too could be open about who they are, and it has been nice to be able to inspire others.

I’ve also heard from a lot of straight men who had seen the episode, and because Hulk was OK with me, it's opened their eyes to realize that we are out there and it's OK to be a bit more open-minded to the gay community.

When the first episode of Brooke Knows Best aired, I had to come out to my whole family in Michigan, from Grandma to nephews to aunts and uncles, and it has been something I've wanted to do for so long. I was a family secret and wanted to bring my two worlds together. Because of my coming out on the show, it has brought my family closer together and they are 100% cheering me on!

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Michael Adams, executive director, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)

Meeting my first boyfriend when I was 21 triggered my coming out, and that happened in Lima, Peru. I had taken a break from college to spend a year abroad and “find myself” -- and boy, did I!

Oscar and I met on the street during my first week in Lima, when I was lost and asked him for directions. I was so naive back then it didn’t dawn on me that he was gay (though it certainly dawned on me that he was cute). Up to that point I’d had very little interaction with gay people; in fact, I’d never been in a gay bar. So, my first gay bar, my first drag show -- many “firsts” took place during my eight months living in Peru.

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