“During a live broadcast on KARE 11’s Sunrise show, Minnesota news anchor Jason Hackett delivered a moment that left viewers stunned, as he bravely came out as gay.”
“Despite standing before the camera daily for five years, Hackett kept his relationship private until now.”
For five years, Hackett had chosen to keep his personal relationship private, despite his daily appearances before the camera.
While his co-workers and close friends were aware of his sexuality, Hackett had grappled with sharing this aspect of his life with his parents.
His parents are from Jamaica, a country Hackett describes as not particularly LGBTQ+-friendly.
Hackett attempted to come out to his parents three times, but it wasn’t until he showed them a picture of his boyfriend that the truth began to register.
Despite his concerns, Hackett affirmed in an interview with Today that he never doubted his parents’ love for him.
However, until that pivotal broadcast in May, Hackett had kept his sexuality a secret from his audience.
Recalling the significant moment, Hackett admitted he was filled with nerves.
As the red light on the camera illuminated, Hackett’s heart pounded in his chest.
But despite the nerves, “the words started flowing.”
During the broadcast, Hackett admitted to viewers that coming out had always been a challenging experience for him.
“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “This is definitely the largest audience I’ve ever come out to at once.”
He continued, “What I… and everyone here on ‘Sunrise’ strive for is authenticity. And I can’t preach that without being my authentic self.”
