But alongside these trailblazers are the ordinary people who pave the way for us just by being their authentic selves. 

Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, I didn’t know about LGBTQ+ history or see a lot of LGBTQ+ representation around me. The first time I realised that there were other people like me was such a relief. For so long, I felt alone. So, when I first realised, albeit through history books, movies and television shows, that other gay people existed, it felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders. 

This did not mean that I suddenly became an out-and-proud LGBTQ+ person, but it did give me solace that there were people, both in the past and present, who felt like I did. This helped affirm my identity, even though I was still a long way from feeling comfortable with it.

When I started secondary school, I met another young person for the first time who was openly LGBTQ+. It was truly transformational. In an instant, it moved the idea of being openly gay from the screen to the real world.

What was so amazing about this student was that he was unashamedly himself; he spoke and acted how he wanted, even if it meant he was ostracised by other students. By being unapologetic in the way that he navigated the school terrain, he laid the foundations for others to do the same. One by one, other previously closeted LGBTQ+ pupils, including me, felt that they too could be themselves because of his bravery. He showed us that while coming out could be hard, it was possible to be openly gay and that life could be better because of it.