Valedictorian Comes Out in Grad Speech

A Colorado high school valedictorian came out during her graduation speech over the weekend and received a standing ovation, in stark contrast to another Colorado student who was denied permission to make a similar announcement. Emily Bruell, a straight-A student at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, Colorado, revealed the word “gay” from a series of signs describing aspects of herself in the middle of her speech. “I’m not just gay. I’m not just smart. No one is. No label is big enough to hold an entire person,” Bruell said. Another Boulder-area student, Evan Young, was forbidden from coming out in his valedictory speech last month by the principal of his school, Twin Peaks Charter Academy High School. He says he was notified just a few minutes before the ceremony that he would not be allowed to speak or even be recognized as valedictorian.