Hey John,

 

Today is National Coming Out Day, a day to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and remember those who made the choice to live out-and-proud when we were not accepted like we are today.

 

On October 11, 1987, my community and our allies marched in D.C. to call for equal rights under the law. Those men and women helped shape the world we live in today, a world where I am free to be an openly-gay dad running for Congress.

 

For some, coming out is still a huge challenge. The very real fear of facing discrimination, bullying, or judgment can cause LGBTQ+ people of all ages to stay “in the closet,” struggling with anxiety and depression while hiding their authentic selves.

 

Coming out wasn’t easy for me, either.

 

I grew up in a conservative family. I even attended a private school. You know the kind. 

 

They are supposed to keep things like this from happening to “good families” by shielding impressionable youth from all of those pesky non-conforming thoughts and “deviant” or “sinful” ideas.  

 

Despite their best efforts, the adults around me couldn’t change who I was. They could not make me straight. They could only make me feel broken.

 

It’s normal for a kid to worry that their parents won’t accept a bad grade on their report card. It’s NOT normal for a kid to worry that their parents won’t accept them. It’s traumatic.

 

I feared losing my family, my friends, my career opportunities, and really any life that was worth living. To this day, I still carry scars and fear.

 

But I held on to the hope that things would get better, and I survived. 

 

I wonder what my life would have been like if all of those years I could have been confident in myself instead of afraid of myself.

 

I wish that I could get back all of the time that I questioned the love and acceptance of those that I cared about. But I can’t.

 

Today so many individuals, including our youth, are experiencing the same situation, living in the same fear that I did. 

 

This is especially true for transgender youth.

 

I don’t know what it’s like to be trans, John, but I do know what it’s like to be afraid of who you are. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.

 

On this National Coming Out Day, I hope you will reach out to the young people in your family and let them know you love and accept them unconditionally, regardless of who they love, what they wear, or what name they go by.

 

And if the idea of trans people makes you uncomfortable or if you’re just unsure how to feel, as so many are, please remember this:

 

There is a political motive to make you feel that way. Republicans will tell you that being trans is unnatural or deviant or just plain wrong. They will pass laws to drive the point home and to further marginalize trans youth.

 

I know, because they did it to gay youth, too.

 

There is nothing anyone can do to change who LGBTQ+ people are. But there is plenty we can do to give them a life worth living.

 

Your next congressman,

 

David Roth
         

David Roth is a single, gay dad running for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. We’re going up against a GOP incumbent who has been in this seat for almost 25 years. It’s time for change in Idaho, and our grassroots campaign is building on the momentum that began in David’s race for U.S. Senate last cycle. The GOP is not planning to defend this seat, so we plan to take it from them and help Democrats retake the House majority next year. We’d love your support to build a solid campaign to bring progress to Idaho and the country.

 

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