Wow.

Frank Ocean comes out and I am so happy I could scream.

I grew up with a gay brother who came out when he was 14 and I was 7, so the Gay Community has been close to me for a very long time (so close that, although I am straight, I feel included in the Gay Community). When our abusive father figured it out, it was tragic and heartbreaking – to say the least. I could re-count some tales, but it’s neither here nor there. My brother ended up running away at such a young age, learning life on the street.

Our relationship didn’t end. He would come back to hang out with me, his beloved little sister…spoiling me with gifts and teaching me about the world. He would take me to Pride Parades, sneak me into gay clubs and take me on dates with him to the movies and strolling the mall. At a young age, I experienced what it was like for two people of the same sex to genuinely love each other.

I also experienced hate first hand, having kids in class make fun of you for having a gay brother and have yet another reason to bully you. I also experienced what it was like second hand to be persecuted for your sexuality, having people angrily yell names at him, do hateful things – and worst crimes of them  all of them all, having your own father throw you out of the house as a child and ultimately reject you (something that no child can ever recover from).

It only made me stronger and made me want to champion the community (and all “under dogs” more).

It’s really strange that I’ve made a name for myself in the Hip Hop Community which publicly has zero tolerance for Homosexuality – (despite my “gaydar” reading off the charts with most of the people in it). I’ve felt strongly about this forever and quite frankly, I hate it. In general, while it’s a community the world loves (and thankfully has embraced me)  it’s also a community that is not open to things that are different – let alone gay.

Now that Frank Ocean has come out – I am ecstatic, overjoyed, overwhelmed, in tears. I am happy he has found the strength to come out in the poetic and lovely way that he did (FRANKOCEAN.TUMBLR). I ‘m sure he has battled with some demons over the past few years and to be able to let it out must feel fantastic. I know he didn’t expect or probably want to be a martyr for the cause, he probably just wanted to let it out in the open…but, the world will rush to his aid.

Do you know what this means for the world & the Hip Hop Community? Do you know how this will change everything? He’s giving young men and women the strength and courage to come out, to know that they are not alone…not to be afraid. If you’re gay or you’ve shared the struggle with someone  who was gay (out or not), you know what kind of afraid I’m talking about…its debilitating.

If only right now I was 7 and my brother was 14 and this was all happening. It could have changed, in the least, how my brother felt about himself even if my father still couldn’t accept it. He would have felt like he wasn’t alone. Although we can’t turn back the hands of time, I’m thinking about the other little girls out there now with big brothers (or sisters, cousins, friends, etc) who are coming out, knowing that this Tumblr post has created a domino effect…ultimately changing the way we all think.

How revolutionary! How progressive!

I walk away from reading Frank Ocean’s post feeling like he just wanted to be honest. That is triumphantly inspiring. Gay or not, this will impact all of our lives. This will all make us a bit more honest about who we are – and we could all use more of that.

Thank you Frank Ocean.

xo, va$htie.