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LGBT Celebrities Who Embraced Coming Out: Ellen DeGeneres, Ricky Martin, Colton Haynes and More!

Out and proud! From Ellen DeGeneres to Ricky Martin and Colton Haynes, many LGBT celebrities have embraced their sexual identities. Watch the video above to see what some of your favorite stars have said about coming out.

Related: Celebrity LGBT Allies

DeGeneres, 58, first came out as a lesbian in 1997 on The Oprah Winfrey Show and revealed how it took a toll on her both personally and professionally. Around the same time, she opened up about being gay in a groundbreaking cover story for Time magazine as well.

In a November 2016 cover story interview with Out magazine, the talk show host said that her confidence has soared since sharing her truth. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to work again, and although I was out, I was still trying to alter myself — not dressing the way I wanted to dress or wearing my hair the way I wanted to,” the Funny Thing Is… author — who married wife Portia de Rossi in 2008 — explained. “I slowly gained the confidence to be authentic, and what I’ve learned about other people is that they strive to be authentic, too. So whether they fully support me, love my lifestyle, or love that I’m married to a woman. I think they like that authenticity, and they’re drawn to it.”

Related: Celebrity Activists!

Martin, 45, came out as gay in 2010. That same year, he also opened up to Winfrey, now 63, about his decision to do so. “I couldn’t take it anymore, Oprah,” the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer — who got engaged to boyfriend Jwan Yosef last year — said at the time. “I couldn’t take it anymore. It was too painful.”

Related: Stars Share Secrets

For his part, Haynes, 28, revealed he was gay last year after much speculation. “It took me so long to get to this point, but I’m doing so good,” the Arrow hunk, who accepted a proposal from celebrity florist Jeff Leatham earlier this month, told Entertainment Weekly in May 2016. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been, and that’s what I care about.”

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