BYU Valedictorian Comes Out As Gay In Graduation Speech

A Brigham Young University valedictorian came out as gay in a powerful commencement speech that celebrated personal victories for classmates and his own.

Matty Easton said he persevered through battles with his creator over his identity.

“It was in these quiet moments of pain and confusion that I felt another triumph, that of coming to terms, not with who I thought I should be, but who the Lord has made me,” Easton told fellow graduates in the ceremony on Friday. (Watch above.) “As such, I stand before my family, friends and graduating class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.”

Cheers and applause followed.

“Four years ago it would have been impossible for me to imagine that I would come out to my entire college,” he added. “It is a phenomenal feeling and it is a victory for me in and of itself.”

Among those praising his speech was the actress Kristin Chenoweth , who tweeted: “I stand beside you!! I say to you: YOU ARE LOVED!!!!!”

Easton, a 24-year-old political science major, had previously come out to family and friends.

BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has a strict honor code that has resulted in the punishment of LGBTQ students, the Salt Lake Tribune noted.

The church recently repealed a policy that considered same-sex married couples “apostates,” thus allowing their children to be baptized.

A former BYU student who portrayed the school’s sports mascot Cosmo the Cougar recently came out as gay .