JetBlue Spotlights Coming Out Day Stories of LGBTQ Employees

JetBlue has made a pretty fly move on National Coming Out Day.

The airline took to Twitter to share the coming-out stories of several of its LGBTQ employees. "Coming out is a journey, a life-long one for most. On #ComingOutDay, we're honored to share some of the amazing journeys of our JetPride crewmembers," JetBlue tweeted.

These stories run the gamut from heartbreaking to heartwarming. Michael K., a crewmember, revealed how his mother's suicide made him realize how precious life was, spurring him to come out to his family members.

Bernie J. shared how he stayed with his wife for eight years after coming out to her, "trying to make it work." She later outed him to their friends, an experience that made him realize "the importance of holding someone's sexual orientation in confidence."

Jacob N., "shaking and visibly upset," told his parents over dinner. "That's it?! We thought you had something bad to tell us!" they replied.

These stories were compiled by members of JetPride group, a peer-resource organization founded in 2012 that raises the visibility of JetBlue's LGBTQ crewmembers. A coming-out story from a JetPride member will be posted every hour.

Read some of the coming-out stories below. And post your own in response to JetBlue's Twitter thread to get a "special surprise" from the airline. No details on the surprise were offered, but it may take you places!