Yesterday, Bella Thorne came out with a powerful one-word tweet — “Yes.” The message came in response to a fan's question, "Are you bisexual?" Thorne's coming-out moment could be described in many ways — casual, simple, natural. It's also a part of a trend of celebs coming out directly to their fans through social media.
To many in the spotlight, opening up about their sexuality on platforms where they already share so much personal information might just seem like the natural route to take. YouTubers in particular have often used their vlogs to come out. In the absence of a third party mediating between the personalities and their fans, coming-out moments aren’t just more intimate — they become a sign of support to the community.
Last January, when Amandla Stenberg came out as bisexual during a Snapchat takeover on Teen Vogue 's account, she referenced her sexuality to underline a message of comfort and support to viewers, saying, "It's deeply bruising to fight against your identity and mold yourself into shapes you just shouldn't be in. As someone who identifies as a Black, bisexual woman, I've been through it, and it hurts."
While 18-year-old Thorne's simple tweet might seem small, ultimately her chosen platform — Twitter — speaks directly to her followers, who just might be LGBTQ themselves. She levels the playing field for a moment, saying, — “I get what you might have struggled with and faced — we're both going to be okay.”
Here are a few times celebrities have come out using YouTube and social media.
Popular beauty vlogger Ingrid Nilsen came out in a video titled, "Something I Want You to Know (Coming Out)," in 2015. The emotional clip has received more than 15 million views.
Connor Franta, a lifestyle vlogger who's been posting videos to his channel since 2010, posted a coming-out video in 2014. While he opened the vlog explaining he was happy with who he is, he also talked about his struggle to accept himself when he was younger.
Vlogger and pop star Troye Sivan came out in a 2013 video. He made sure to include resources for LGBT teens in the description — along with his email address for anyone who wanted to reach out.
Matt Dallas, best known for his role on the sci-fi show Kyle XY, came out in a tweet announcing his engagement, writing, "Starting off the year with a new fiancé, @bluehamilton. A great way to kick off 2013!"
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