In My Own Words
...’I Was Born Gay’ by Multiple Emmy-winning CNN
Anchor
Don Lemon
Using Ascot Media
and
Aston Publicity Groups’ innovative
announcement tool ‘In My Own Words’ (IMOW) as the
vehicle in which to speak out and put an end to the
speculation surrounding him, Don Lemon is making an
official statement to the media that he is gay.
The statement below was written by Don Lemon and it
may be copied, printed and announced but cannot be
altered in any way without the express permission of
Don Lemon.
* * *
* * * *
May 16, 2011
“Today I chose to step out on faith and begin openly
living my own truth. And let me say right up front
that I hope many of you will be inspired to do the
same thing in your daily lives. Some of the things
I’ve chosen to reveal in my book Transparent were
very difficult to share with even those closest to
me.
There was a time when I was terrified of revealing
these things to the person I love most in this world
- my own mother. But when I finally mustered the
courage to tell her that I had been molested as a
child and that I was born gay, my life began to
change in positive ways that I never imagined
possible. Yet I still chose to keep those secrets
hidden from the world. I, like most gay people,
lived a life of fear. Fear that if some employers,
co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members
learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked
and ostracized. It is a burden that millions of
people carry with them every single day. And sadly,
while the mockery and ostracizing are realized by
millions of people every day, I truly believe it
doesn’t have to happen and that’s why I feel
compelled to share what I’ve written in Transparent.
As a journalist I believe that part of my mission is
to shed light onto dark places. So, the disclosure
of this information does not inhibit in any way my
ability to be the professional, fair and objective
journalist I have always been.
My book is dedicated to the memory of Rutgers
University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his
death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed
his private business over the Internet for the world
to see. Tyler might still be with us today if more
gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and
openly. It is also dedicated to the millions of
young, gay people who believe they are alone when
dealing with their own sexual identities. You are
not alone! There are people, like me and many
others, who are thriving in their personal and
professional lives and although we sometimes have a
hard time with it ourselves, we are here to show you
by example that you too can overcome any obstacle as
long as you stay strong and, most of all, stay
alive.”
With love and honesty,
Don Lemon
May 16, 2011
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