Will Gay Athletes Be Accepted In The US (Photo : REUTERS/MAX ROSSI)
Admitting your preference for a same-sex relationship or you are simple gay has become easier. So far, 6 million Americans had come out on Facebook.
It need not be a formal declaration in newsfeed. Coming out could be done by simply updating their profile and listing a specific gender on its custom gender list. From just "male" or "female" as choices, by clicking "custom," a Facebook member can write whatever is the preferred term from more than 50 choices to describe one's self such as gay, lesbian, transsexual, gender fluid, androgynous or pansexual. There is also the choice of what pronoun to use from "he," "she" and "it."
On Oct. 11, which is National Coming Out Day, Facebook released a report that states the number of people coming out daily is thrice the number 12 months ago, reports PC News. On a typical day, the report estimates 10 percent of Facebook members who change the "interested in" button state they prefer someone from the same gender.
In the past 12 months, about 800,000 Americans updated their profile by changing their gender in their profiles. However, not all gays are willing to come out. Facebook says the numbers are surely lower than the real number of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, reports NBC.
However, the number doubled on June 26 when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision of the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case. Even those who are straight but support gays were among the 26 million Facebook members who used a tool in the portal to add a rainbow filter on the profile picture as a way of showing their solidarity and agreement with the court ruling that favored same-sex marriage.
