And I'm inspired / to be in this room / because / every single / one of you / is here / for the same / reason. // You're here / because you've / adopted / as a core motivation / the simple fact / that this world / would be / a whole lot better / if we just / made an effort / to be less / horrible / to one another. // If we took / just / 5 minutes / to recognize / each other's beauty, / instead of / attacking each other / for our differences. // That's not hard. // It's really / an easier / and better way / to live. // And ultimately, / it saves lives. // Then again, / it can be / the hardest thing. // Because / loving other people / starts with loving ourselves / and accepting ourselves. // And I know / many of you / have struggled / with this. // And I draw / upon / your strength / and your support, / and ways / that you will never / know. // And I am / here today / because I am / gay. // And because... // and because, / maybe / I can make a / difference. // To help others / have an easier / and more / hopeful time. // Regardless, / for me, / I feel / a personal obligation / and a social responsibility. // I also do it / selfishly, / because I'm tired of hiding / and I am tired of lying / by omission. // I suffered / for years / because I was scared / to be out. // My spirit suffered, / my mental health / suffered / and my relationships / suffered. // And I'm standing / here today, / with all of you, / on the other side / of that pain. // And I am / young, / yes, / but / what I have learned / is that love, / the beauty / of it, / the joy / of it, / and yes, / even the pain / of it, / is the most / incredible gift / to give / and to receive / as a human being. // And we deserve / to experience love / fully, / equally, / without shame / and without / compromise. // There are / too many kids / out there / suffering from / bullying, / rejection, / or simply / being mistreated / because of / who they are. // Too many / dropouts. // Too much / abuse. // Too many / homeless. // Too many / suicides. // You can change that / and you are / changing it. // But you never / needed me / to tell you that. // And that's why / this was // a little bit / weird.