Coming Out in Print

Melissa Etheridge
Issue 660, July 26, 1994
The Grammy Award-winning rocker spoke to The Advocate a year and a half after she came out while celebrating the inauguration of President Clinton and revealed what had been her greatest fear about being open. Two ex-wives and four kids later, Etheridge is still a leading equality activist.

“You think there’s some big black hole you’re going to fall into and that all of a sudden people who have loved you all of your life aren’t going to love you anymore. And I’m here to tell you that that does not happen. If it did change anyone’s mind about me, then that’s their problem — and they weren’t there for me to begin with.”