This week, YouTube and Nickelodeon sensation Lucas Cruikshank announced that he's gay — on his wildly trafficked YouTube channel, no less. We were thrilled that he chose such a sweet way to share something personal, and it's always fantastic when someone finds the courage to come out of the closet. While we agree with him that it feels slightly counterintuitive for queer people to state their sexuality, while heterosexuals need not announce their straightness (a point Cruikshank brings up to his partner-in-crime, Jennifer Veal), this is still a very real milestone, and one that should be celebrated.
Cruikshank's candid answer to a question he's received countless numbers of times before was adorable: "I'm gay. It feels so weird to say on camera!" According to Cruikshank, he's been out to his family and friends for three years. Veal knew Cruikshank was gay right away when they first met: "'Cause you were like haaay!"
It's a stark contrast from Wentworth Miller's coming out, but the impact is still the same. Both are helping increase the public's acceptance of queer culture, and opening the closet door wider for other people — not just celebrities — to find it in themselves to be comfortable in their own skin.