Jacob Rudolph, High School Senior, Comes Out During Class Awards Ceremony [VIDEO]
When high school senior Jacob Rudolph gave an acceptance speech to his senior class, they were not expecting for him to come out.
During a class awards ceremony at Parsippany High School in New Jersey, Rudolph made the unexpected announcement while on stage after accepting an award for class actor.
"I’ve been in a few plays and musicals, but more importantly, I’ve been acting every single day of my life,” Rudolph said.
“You see, I’ve been acting as someone I’m not; when most of you see me every day you see me acting the part of straight Jacob, when I am in fact an LGBT teen,” Rudolph told the 300 students, parents, and teachers, according to CBS.
The audience applauded Rudolph’s revelation, and the senior went on to say, “So take me, leave me or move me out of the way because I am what I am and that’s how I’m going to act from now on.”
After coming out, the Parsippany senior admitted to feeling a huge sense of relief.
“A lot of people don’t comprehend just how taxing something like this is.
I was always constantly living in fear that my guy friends would not understand and they would reject me,” he told 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg.
“My life had just been divided into a sharp before and after — before I came out, after I came out. Had I known then what I know now I probably would’ve done this sooner.”
A video of his speech, which took place Jan, 18, was uploaded on YouTube and already has over 150,000 views.
Even in Hollywood, LGBT celebrities have become more vocal about their sexuality as of late. Jodie Foster acknowledged her sexual orientation at the 70th Annual Golden Globes.
Actor Victor Garber, best known for his roles in “Deception,” “The First Wives Club” and “Titanic, admitted his homosexuality to blogger Greg in Hollywood during the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., earlier this month as well.
Watch Jacob Rudolph's video below:
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