This collection of LGBTQ+ coming out stories in honour of this year’s National Coming Out day will warm your heart.

Founded in the United States in 1988, National Coming Out day is now an internationally celebrated event that falls on the October 11 every year. Emily Bashforth, an 18-year-old student journalist from England, has collected stories from all over the world of when, how and why people came out – and how it affected their lives.

Emily told PinkNews she embarked on this ambitious project “to show how someone’s coming out experiences can vary depending on where you live.

“They told me when and how they came out, how it made them feel, and how accepted the LGBTQ+ communities are in their countries – which opened my eyes to the world we live in.

“The awareness day acknowledges the strength it takes for those who are closeted to come out, and aims to raise awareness for the LGBT+ community.” Read more via Pink News