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Internet Gives Ingrid Nilsen Big Hug, Inspires Others To Find Their ‘Truest And Purest’ Selves [Video]

By Shelley Hazen
Published on: 02:50 PST, Jun 10, 2015

Baring your soul has always been a tough thing to do. Many of us hide secrets we fear will alienate us from the people we love, our communities. Coming out as gay is one of those secrets, and it has always been a dramatic and terrifying act. But in the YouTube era, you can come out to millions in one fell swoop — like Ingrid Nilsen did on Tuesday.

The risk is still incredible. After Ingrid admitted, tearfully, in a 20-minute video that was a departure from her usual beauty tips, to liking girls since she was a child, many people wondered if she’d lose subscribers.

But it seems like the vast majority of Ingrid’s fans have expressed their support, share her struggle, and have been inspired to embrace and reveal their homosexuality, as well.

Since it was posted Tuesday, Ingrid’s coming out video has garnered over two million views. Nilsen felt compelled to reveal her sexuality to her fans — four million of them — because they’ve been something of a family over the course of Nilsen‘s six years on YouTube, Us Weekly reported.

And it was Nilsen’s real-life family and the society around her that made her feel “the need to take this part of me and put it in a cabinet and lock it up really tight,” the Hollywood Reporter added.

In her video, Ingrid talked about growing up in a household that didn’t approve of homosexuality, E! Online added. Though her attraction to girls began at four, (before she knew society would likely object to her feelings), she grew into a teen and young adult who suppressed her “truest and purest self.”

But that time is over. Ingrid Nilsen’s bared her soul not even a minute into the video, following some nervous fidgeting and deep breaths.

“It feels so good to say that … This moment is real and it’s here, and I’ve been waiting for this a long time… This is me. Sitting right here, right now. This is me… the fact that I’m gay is a part of me… I have always been this way… I want to live my life unapologetically because I’m proud of who I am and I’m not gonna apologize for who I am anymore.”

And it’s risky to be so exposed. Ridicule and rejection is sure to follow, and Nilsen admitted to suffering some after gradually coming out to “friends and people who are close” to her, a fact that was “very difficult.”

Nilsen’s Internet family has embraced her, for the most part. Some have been inspired by Ingrid’s confession enough to replicate it in their own lives, others have felt comforted by her story, and others have simply been supportive.

“Straight or gay, it does not matter. Society makes us think that we are not okay, but we are. And we all should live being our truest self!”

“i’m still working up the courage to come out, but it obviously will take time. not everyone i know will accept it, so hopefully they will understand. you’re amazing ingrid”

“Well thats cool its not a big deal f your Gay i mean hey straight people dont go out to their parents and say hey im straight so I think its competely normal that we dont have to justify ourselves as not straight or whatever, we cool with u”

“I am currently growing up in an enviroment where I CANT come out. Im 13 years old, living in Ireland. The town is pretty small and ‘gay’ is constantly used as a insult … I cant wait for my life to start. But for now… I wait. But after this wait, I can be happy. I can be. happy. :)”

[Photo Courtesy YouTube Screengrab]

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