Lez Keep It Real

Today’s Come Out & Play story comes from Christopher Chan, a twenty-one-year-old business student at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta. (That’s in Canada people!)

I accidentally came across Christopher’s coming out story while perusing random video blogs on YouTube. As soon I saw it I was instantly impressed. Here’s a young man talking candidly about an incredibly emotional time in his life when he decided to come out to his friends and family, and he’s doing it in front of billions of people via the Internet.

Now that’s coming out with some moxie!

I contacted Christopher to ask him some follow up questions to his coming out video blog.

LD: What was the hardest thing about coming out for you?

CC: The hardest thing [for me] was having to face the fear of other people. Having to face my own fear of being different and unacceptable to my friends, colleagues and family. That I would have to live life as a “them,” as opposed to an “us.”

LD: Who was the hardest person to tell?

CC: My mother.

LD: Why did you choose to post your coming out story on YouTube?

CC: I had just established a video blog but ithad nothing personal on it. I figured that I wanted to let people know about my personal experiences, in order to become closer to my viewers. Perhaps even reach out and share my experience with people who may be going through similar ordeals.

LD: Who was your greatest support system when you were coming out?

CC: My dear friend, Anssam.

LD: What is your current relationship with your Mother? Is it any better/worse?

CC: It had improved drastically, although she doesn’t trust me.

LD: Do you feel your video blog will help others who struggle with coming out?

CC: I absolutely hope so.

LD: What advice, if any, would you give someone who was planning on coming out?

CC: The best things I could say is to come out when you’re ready. And when you do, you won’t have to run anymore.

LD: What was the best thing about coming out of the closet for you?

CC: I feel free to be myself. [I feel] free to love. Free to express affection to those whom I choose and free from lies and deceit.

For more about Christopher and his video blog, visit him at electric-flame.com

For more on the exciting world of YouTube, visit 451 Press’ own YouTube Digger.

Tune in every Friday for the Come Out & Play series, featuring coming out stories of celebrities, every day people, personal reflections, advice, tid bits and everything else concerning the complicated world of coming out!

Got an interesting coming out story to tell? Contact me and I will feature it in an upcoming post of Come Out & Play.