President of Young Democrats of America Comes Out [View all]

[William769]

The past three years of serving as president of the Young Democrats of America have been the most challenging and rewarding experience of my life. I've been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a leader in the progressive youth movement at such a unique moment in our nation's history. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together, ensuring that the millennial generation has an indelible impact on the political process for many years to come.

This week in San Antonio I will preside over my final YDA National Convention. While this isn't the end of my political involvement, it marks the closure of this chapter in my career. But with only days left in my term, I've come to the realization that I have some unfinished business.

I'm proud of the work that YDA has done on LGBT rights in recent years, whether it was our fight for the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," our push for employment nondiscrimination laws at the federal and state levels, or the remarkable strides toward full marriage equality across the country.

But in the midst of all this historic progress, I've never taken the opportunity to tell my own story: that I am a Christian, an American, a West Virginian, a Young Democrat, a rural advocate, a singer-songwriter, a brother, a son, a grandson, a nephew, an uncle, and a gay man.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rod-snyder/some-unfinished-business-my-coming-out-message-to-the-young-democrats-of-america_b_3720659.html