Yesterday was National Coming Out day. To mark the occaision LGBT+ Officer Emma Little has taken over the DPW blog and would like to share her thoughts on coming out:

Coming out was never an issue for me, and I am thankful for that. My friends and family never even bat an eyelid. Unfortunately, such mundanity isn't so common. For so many coming out is a terrifying and sometimes very bad experience.

The number of young LGBT+ people who are homeless is far too high.

The number of LGBT+ people who suffer from depression is far too high.

The number of LGBT+ people who are, in fact, too afraid to tell their family and friends is far too high.

Being LGBT+ is not something anyone should feel ashamed of, and I do believe the world is moving in the right direction on that front. My generation in particular are far more accepting - even better than that - don't even care. I hope that there will come a day where 'coming out' isn't even necessary, but until then we'll all just have to fight the good fight.

If you have any questions or worries about coming out, or wish to discuss any LGBT+ issues, please email Emma.