When Jin first came out, she could barely get the words out, carrying the weight of what she had grown up hearing. Zahra's response was the thing that changed it.
Nothing about their friendship shifted, and the way Zahra took the news made every conversation Jin had afterward, with friends and with family, a little easier to start.
No matter our differences, we all have the capacity for human connection. We just have to be open to it when the moment comes.
[Video transcript]
Jin: Hi guys! We want to share the first time I ever came out, except I couldn’t even say the word gay because of the shame I felt about being queer.
Zahra: Today we’re partnering with Love Has No Labels to share a simple reminder that before anything else, we’re all human.
Jin: When I came out, it was really hard for me to even say that I like girls because of the way I had grown up. But, when Zahra responded, she accepted me instantly and didn’t treat me any differently.
Zahra: For me, it didn't change how I saw Jin at all. She was still the same exact person she was before she came out to me. And, I’m just grateful that she had chosen to share something so important with me.
Jin: Because of how she reacted, I think it made it a lot easier for me to come out to my friends and family down the line.
Zahra: Yeah, and I think it’s important to remember that no matter our differences, we all have the capacity for human connection. We just have to be open to it when the moment comes.
Jin: And while our differences make us unique, they never really change our shared humanity. Zahra and I have built friendships with people from different backgrounds and sexualities, and those differences have only improved our lives. I think, at the end of the day, we all seek the same thing: love and understanding.
Zahra: And to think If our conversation when we were 13 had gone in a different way, we would not be sitting here together. So, please share your own stories of moments when you’ve experienced kindness and connection in the comments. And remember, love has no labels.