This Christmas Jon Reidar Øyan, a Norwegian LGBTQ activist and politician, shared his 17 year old coming out letter to his parents and it went viral in Norway.

Jon Reidar Øyan

In 1999, Jon Reidar Øyan from the small village Snillfjord, last year on the sports and athletic program at Orkdal Secondary School (Orkdal videregående skole). When he left home after the Christmas holidays, he left his coming out letter to his parents. Christmas Day 17 years later he published the letter on Facebook.

During a few hours this Christmas day, there were many who described their reactions after reading the letter to a young boy of 18 years (now 35 years old). Many are praising Jon Reidar Øyan for his openness, and what he subsequently has meant for many gays across Norway.

Mary Øyan (Jon Reidar’s mum) says to Adressa.no that she still remember the day well, and says that she and her husband in January 1999 was never in doubt that they would support their son.

She has a simple advice to other parents who experiences that their child comes out as gay: They need to be there and help them. That’s what parents do. You always loves your kids anyway.

And if you are one of lucky ones that understands Norwegian – you can read the emotional coming out letter below – and have handkerchiefs close by – promise you, that you’ll need it.

Photo By Silje (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Tagged:
About the Author

Staff members publishes stories from other news outlets from around the world.