The project seeks to document a wide array of “coming out” stories from individuals within the LGBTIQ community through film, audio and the written word. I have conducted 1-on-1 interviews in person with a number of community members already, however, to gain a greater number of stories I am opening the process up for people to create their own content and submit it for inclusion. The stories will be compiled and curated in a non-linear web-based format, which users will be able to navigate through and experience different stories at their leisure.

At present the site exists simply for the purpose of this assessment and is less than complete, I have interviews from 6 additional participants who’s videos presently do not feature in this edit of the project due to time constraints, some of them wrote short pieces on why they participated, these may appear within the current klynt project. If a significant number of stories are received with some additional work in collaboration with some web-developers I would be interested in taking the project public.

The closet can be a very isolating place, particularly while we’re trying to work out what it means to not fit the mold that heteronormativity suggests we should, and taking those first steps to living true to who we are (self-acceptance/disclosure to others) can be a daunting process, many of us know how easy it can be to assume the worst possible outcome in our minds, often (though, sadly, not always) we’re entirely wrong. I would be interested in eventually launching this project for public viewing to get that message out to people who are paralysed by fear of coming out, and to help parents, family and friends of LGBTIQ people to get some insight into the experience first hand from others who’ve been through it, and give them some perspective on what’s going through the mind of someone as they work through this process.

Also taking this project public within the current political landscape with ongoing attacks on Safe Schools and Marriage Equality, which often use a rhetorical approach that erodes the self-esteem of the LGBTIQ community, I would hope might just add one more source of support for people considering coming out.