Social media users in the United States are sharing stories and photos in celebration of National Coming Out Day, with famous members of the LGBTIQ+ community using their platforms to spread a message of acceptance and love.
"There were times when I wrote songs about girls that my fans thought I wrote about guys," singer Demi Lovato, who hosted Facebook Watch event ' said of her journey to coming out as bisexual in 2017.
"I'm surprised that some of them didn't figure out that some of the songs were for certain people. I was sharing it with the world and yet I wasn't being completely obvious with what I was talking about. Music was my safe space."
Queer Eye star Tan France, who co-hosted the event with Lovato: added: "Coming Out Day isn't necessarily meant to be the day you come out, unless you really, really want to. You do you."
He continued: "It's more of a day to reflect and support the journey of others."
On Twitter, members of the LGBTIQ+ community shared their own stories.
"I grew up in a highly conservative suburb of Dallas, fearful of what it meant to be a gay Asian man in Texas & academia," one social media user wrote.
"Four years ago, I first came out (a lifelong process) to my friends and family. Today, I'm incredibly proud to be openly #LGBTQIAInSTEM."
Another wrote: "Lil Kevin didn’t know how to name what he felt for awhile, but because he had incredible friends and family, he figured it out and is a raging homo. Thank god."
He added: "The only timeline that matters, is the one you make. We’re here when you’re ready."
