Lara, a member of the K-pop group KATSEYE, publicly came out as queer during the LA LGBT Centre's event, sharing her journey and the fear she faced. She was honored with the Blooming Impact Award, recognizing her courage and the significance of LGBTQ+ representation in K-pop. In her speech, Lara urged those living their truth to embrace their bravery, reflecting on the overwhelming support from fans that helped her accept her identity amidst the challenges in a culture where such openness is still rare.
"Growing up, I dealt with a lot of complexity and fear understanding my queerness and being able to voice it out loud. I just want to say to all of you that are living your truth now, I understand how much courage it takes, and I see your bravery."
"I was really scared, honestly, about how this would affect [the way] people would see me, people's support of me and the group as KATSEYE. I was met with so much love and support... it helped me feel more comfortable within my queerness."
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