gaywrites:

A majority of Americans have a close friend or family member who is gay, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The CNN/ORC International survey found that 60 percent of people are close to someone who is gay, a huge jump from 49 percent in 2010. This is the first time a majority of Americans have responded this way, and it almost certainly plays a role in the nation’s changing views on marriage equality:

The poll also found that 54% of Americans say that same-sex marriages should be recognized by the law, with 42% opposed. Those numbers track other recent national polls, and likewise show that support breaks down sharply by political affiliation and age.

Majorities of Democrats and independents strongly favor marriage equality, while almost three quarters of Republicans oppose it. Nearly two-thirds of those under 50 are in support, compared with 55% of those over 50 opposed.

In case this article doesn’t make it obvious, coming out is so important in today’s political and social climate. If it’s safe for you to do so, coming out of the closet can clearly change how your friends and family think about gay issues, how they vote, and how they treat other LGBT people. This is huge. 

To know one is to love one!