We all survived the supposed end of the world, are another year older and we would like to think a little bit wiser. Some of us are not only adding another year to our age but another year as a fabulous out of the closet, fully fledged queer. 

First on the list  is TV 3 reporter David Farrier, who publicly announced his relationship with Grayson Coutts, the son of America’s Cup yachting legend Russell Coutts. Farrier’s announcement was unsurprising to many , with some asking why he waited until 2012 to come out publicly as bisexual. He says he just didn’t think it was much of a big deal, speaking to Herald on Sunday back in July, he says “I’m used to being associated with odd. A lot of my stories for TV3 are about the odder side of life, so I suppose it’s not that odd. But meeting Grayson is probably the least odd thing that’s happened this year.”

American journalist and television personality Anderson Cooper also stepped out of the closet this year and wrote an email to a friend saying, ”The fact is, I’m gay.” In the email he spoke of his reasons for coming out, “I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something – something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.

“There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand.

“The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud,” Cooper  says.

Probably one of the most notable coming out moments of 2012 was when Matrix co-director Lana Wachowski came out as transgender and spoke publicly about her transition. At the Human Rights Campaign’s annual fundraising event Wachowski received a visibility award and delivered an inspirational and heartbreaking speech, “I began to believe voices in my head– that  was a freak, that I am broken, that there is something wrong with me, that I will never be lovable” she told the audience.

Musician and producer, Frank Ocean, has recently spoken about his slightly unorthodox ‘coming out’ earlier in the year and says he “cried like a fucking baby” the night he came out. Ocean admitted in a post on Tumblr that his first love was a man, writing, “”4 summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I’d see him, and his smile. Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realised I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless.”

“I don’t know what happens now, and that’s alrite. I don’t have any secrets I need kept any more. ”

Jim Parsons, star of  The Big Bang Theory was another to come out of a glass closet this year. Parsons confirmed his sexuality to the New York Times’ Patrick Healy who wrote, “The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment.”

Kath and Kim’s Magda Szubanski came out on Australian national television and was met by a roaring applause when she stated, ”I am absolutely not straight, I wouldn’t define myself as bisexual either. I would say I am gay-gay-gay-gay-gay-gay-a little bit not gay-gay-gay-gay. Unfortunately there’s not actually a word to describe me so I have to express myself through the medium of the dance.”

She admitted she felt as though she had to choose between her work and living her life as an openly gay woman, “that thing of 20 million people knowing your business is stressful” she says.

Also amongst the list of those now out of the closet are the very sexy Matt Bomer, the  beautiful X Files star Jillian Anderson and singer, Mika.

| Sarah Murphy

| Image: LEMESH