“The Upshaws” star Jermelle Simon shared his truth with the world on National Coming Out Day, October 11, 2024, through an emotional Instagram video that resonated deeply with fans and followers.
Simon, who portrays Bernard “Bennie” Upshaw Jr. on the popular Netflix series about a Black working-class family in Indiana, chose this significant day to embrace his authentic self publicly. Notably, his character on the show had also come out as gay in the previous season, adding an extra layer of meaning to his personal announcement.
Related: https://instinctmagazine.com/jermelle-simon-talks-the-upshaws-black-queer-representation/
In his heartfelt Instagram post, Simon shared a message that spoke not only to his own journey but to others at different stages of their own:
“To everyone. To the ones who feel now is the time. To the ones who feel like maybe later. To the ones who may never come out. And to myself. I want to say to myself Happy National Coming Out Day,”
The actor continued with raw honesty about his path to self-acceptance: “I decided to embrace myself fully. All the parts of me. I decided to love myself unconditionally. I decided that the one thing that I thought was the biggest curse in my life is actually the biggest blessing that I could ever receive.”
His powerful message concluded with an expression of gratitude and a proud declaration of his identity: “I have decided that I am enough. And I want to thank everyone who has helped me to get to that place where I feel seen, where I feel like I belong, where I feel loved. Thank you for that. Thank you for providing a space where I can come on the internet and say: ‘I am a Black, gay man’. Happy National Coming Out Day.”
Source: Instagram