HIGHLAND PARK –
Comedian and actress Wanda Sykes took time out of her busy schedule while touring in Detroit on June 12 to visit with residents, youth, alumni and employees of Ruth Ellis Center. Sykes was scheduled to spend one hour at Ruth Ellis Center, but ended up dedicating more than two and a half hours to telling her story as a prominent lesbian in the international eye, and listening to the experiences of Detroit's LGBTQ youth.
Members of the audience asked Sykes several intimate questions regarding her lifestyle, to which she answered very candidly – and with a touch of humor, of course. Sykes did not come out publicly until she was 40 and told the youth that she is impressed by their ability to be open and honest earlier in life. She recommended, though, that people should be comfortable with who they are before they come out.
When asked if she has more gay people in her audiences now that she is publicly known to be a lesbian, she replied, "No, but the LGBTQ crowd is now much louder."
For more information about the Ruth Ellis Center, visit http://www.ruthelliscenter.org or become a fan on Facebook.
