NJ Teen Who Came Out at School Assembly Begs Lawmakers to Ban Harmful 'Ex-Gay' Therapy: VIDEO

As I reported yesterday, New Jersey is considering a bill that would ban so-called gay conversion therapy and held hearings before the Senate Health Committee.The bill, S2278, would ban licensed therapists from trying to turn gay kids straight. The committee advanced the bill in a 7-1 vote.

Among those testifying was Parsippany high school senior Jacob Rudolph, whose speech coming out to his entire class at an awards show assembly went viral on YouTube in January.

Said Rudoph to the panel in a powerful speech:

“What disturbs me the most is that our government would allow orientation-conversion organizations to subject children to such so-called therapy. It is hard enough for LGBT teens to accept that their sexual orientation differentiates them from their classmates. Consequentially, I cannot fathom how emotionally scarring it must be for these kids to be told they are somehow broken and are then manipulated to reject their innate sexual preference and ‘become’ heterosexual again. What strikes me as the most cruel facet of this practice is that these young people cannot defend themselves from being subjected to this harmful practice.”

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Gay NJ Teen Who Came Out to Entire Class Meets His Idol George Takei on 'Anderson Live': VIDEO

Anderson Cooper sat down today with Jacob Rudolph, the NJ teen who came out to his entire high school class in a video that went viral last week. Jacob told Anderson that his idol is George Takei, and surprised him with the fact that Takei was there in the studio to meet him.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

I'll post the rest of Jacob's appearance if it becomes available.

NJ H.S. Senior Jacob Rudolph Talks to Thomas Roberts About His Viral Coming Out, Identifying as 'LGBT': VIDEO

Most of you have by now seen the video we posted earlier this week of NJ high school senior Jacob Rudolph's coming out to his entire class. One of the most striking aspects of the clip was the fact that Rudolph said "I'm LGBTT" rather than "I'm gay".

MSNBC's Thomas Roberts interviewed Rudolph today about the video, and his identification:

"I intended to come out as an LGBT and not say bisexual or gay or straight because I feel like those are the labels of the past. Especially in modern times when people are really questioning who they like and what they like I think that saying 'I'm bisexual', it could change in the future, I could be sexclusively for one sex or another. So I think that putting it in a more general term like LGBT is extraordinarily appropriate even though I'm not a lesbian or a transgender."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

NJ High School Senior Comes Out as Gay to His Entire Class, Gets Standing Ovation: VIDEO

Our reader Scott Hester-Johnson sent us this clip of Jacob Rudolph, a high school senior in Parsippany, New Jersey, who came out to his entire class at their awards ceremony (Class Clown, Most Likely to Succeed, etc.) on January 18.

Says Jacob in the clip, as he accepted the award for Best Actor (my transcript):

"Sure I've been in a few plays and musicals, but more importantly, I've been acting every single day of my life. You see, I've been acting as someone I'm not. Most of you see me every day. You see me acting the part of 'straight' Jacob, when I am in fact LGBT. Unlike millions of other LGBT teens who have had to act every day to avoid verbal harassment and physical violence, I'm not going to do it anymore. It's time to end the hate in our society and accept the people for who they are regardless of their sex, race, orientation, or whatever else may be holding back love and friendship. So take me leave me or move me out of the way. Because I am what I am, and that's how I'm going to act from now on."

Writes Scott: "As I am a gay friend of his dad's, he sought out my advice before taking the plunge, but the decision was all his. The best part of the video is when he gets a standing ovation after he comes out. This is an amazingly courageous kid and I hope he gets the props he deserves."

Watch the amazing, AFTER THE JUMP...