Brisbane indie band Cub Sport have shared a touching message to mark Coming Out Day 2021 and yeah, we’re emotional.
Taking to Instagram to pen the beautiful message to their LGBTQ+ fans, lead singer Tim Nelson reminded us there’s no right or wrong way to come out.
WATCH: Emma Horn dances to a song she made about the LGBTQ+ community
Posting a snap sharing a kiss with husband Sam “Bolan” Netterfield (who is also Cub Sport’s keyboardist/vocalist), Tim penned this emotional message in the caption.
“Happy Coming Out Day 🌈 Getting to live life as your most authentic self is a beautiful thing and it’s a huge privilege to get to do that safely,” they began.
“But also, there’s no shame in staying in the closet for as long as you want/need. You decide if and when you choose to share your queerness with the world.”
Tim went on to share their own experience of coming out when they were 25, explaining that it felt “pretty late” compared to some coming out stories.
“Growing up in a very conservative Christian world, I was really scared and in denial for about 10 years before I could even acknowledge it to myself,” they confessed.
“There are so many pressures about being somewhere in life by a certain age. Being queer and in the closet, you can end up feeling like you’re missing out on experiencing a whole part of your life but really you can be whoever/whatever you wanna be at any point in your life.”
They also shared some words of wisdom for other LGBTQ+ people who are in a similar place to where they were at 25.
“It’s never too late and you’re never too far down a path to change your mind or change your life (this can apply to any area of your life, it goes way beyond being queer),” Tim wrote.
“If you’re queer and fearful of coming out, know that you’re loved and valid. If you have queer people around you who aren’t yet ready to come out, support them with lots of love and understanding. Sending love to all of you LGBTQIA+ and ally angels 🌈🌈🌈🌈 ”
They also posted a series of slides from queer creator Matt Bernstein, AKA @mattxiv, about coming out and why you don’t have to do it to be valid.
Many young people (and adults) who identify as queer can struggle to come out for a whole host of reasons, but Tim and other LGBTQ+ icons are here to say that’s okay!
Like Tim said, there’s no shame in not coming out right now, or not coming out ever – you get to decide what is right for you.
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