Jason Collins: "Coming out" as political act.

And the approval of the LGBTQ lifestyle.

President Obama recently congratulated Jason Collins for coming out. “Given the importance of sports in our society, for an individual who has excelled at the highest levels in one of the major sports to go ahead and say, ‘This is who I am. I’m proud of it. I’m still a great competitor. I’m still 7 foot tall and can bang with Shaq and deliver a hard foul’…I think it’s a great thing,” the President said.

Earlier on Monday, White House press secretary Jay Carney expressed praise from the White House for Collins. 

"Here at the White House, we view this as another example of the progress we've made and the evolution that has taken place," Carney said. "We commend him on his courage and support him in this effort and hope that his fans and his team support him going forward." - The Hill

"Coming out is the existential counterpart of 'gay is good'."

It means for most gay people, accepting, celebrating, and sharing their truth about who they are sexually.

"[T]he coming out process is important politically as well as personally.  Studies have shown that in those areas where people have had to vote on gay rights, those who knew a gay person were more likely to vote affirmatively than a person who didn't.  It's difficult to vote against the rights of someone you know." - Brian McNaught.
 

Coming out is a pop-culture term originating in the 20th century.  It is very much a political act or statement and is useful for propaganda purposes.  It goes beyond mere self-acceptance and establishes a new identity for the person.  For a wiki history, go here.

This is why I objected to Fr. Barron's recent statements on 'coming out':

"Over roughly the past 25 years, many gay people have “come out of the closet,” and this is indeed welcome. Repression, deception and morbid self-reproach are never good things. The result of this coming out is that millions have recognized their brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, uncles, and dear friends as having same-sex attraction.

The homosexual person is no longer, accordingly, some strange and shadowy “other,” but someone I know to be a decent human being. This development, too, is nothing but positive. The man or woman with a homosexual orientation must always be loved and treated, in all circumstances, with the respect due to a child of God." - Fr. Barron

The online definition of gay pride is as follows:

Main Entry:	gay pride
Part of Speech:	n
Definition:	a sense of dignity and satisfaction involved in the public admission of one's homosexuality

Be careful boyz and girlz.