Culture & Religion — June 17, 2010

GLAAD’s Jarrett Barrios on Coming Out

Jarrett Barrios, the president of GLAAD, was in Big Think’s offices this afternoon to talk about some of the issues involved with gay identity and the challenge of being “out.” As the first openly gay and Latino member elected to the Massachusetts Senate, Barrios is familiar with the issues of belonging to marginalized communities. The difference between the two communities? While people can tell Barrios is Latino by seeing his last name or listening to his accent, his sexuality is something he is forced to announce in public. Barrios also told us his own coming out story, and reflected on what it’s like to be a gay parent raising two teenage boys.

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