Why news anchor Taylor Bruck spoke her truth and came out on live TV
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Photo: Courtesy of Taylor Bruck
Taylor Bruck didn't plan for hundreds of thousands of people to witness her coming out. It just sort of happened.
Driving the news: Bruck, an anchor for Spectrum News 1 Ohio, announced during a Nov. 26 broadcast that she would be spending the holidays with her girlfriend, well-known local singer Lauren Lanzaretta.
Why it matters: Bruck's story put an international spotlight on a local LGBTQ+ couple at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are being threatened in Ohio.
- The clip of Bruck coming out for the first time publicly has been viewed more than 320,000 times on TikTok and covered by news outlets including People, BuzzFeed, The Independent and the Daily Mail.
- "I had no idea it was going to go viral," Bruck tells Axios. "I had people messaging me from all over the world thanking me for my visibility."
Between the lines: House Bill 68, a law prohibiting Ohio minors from receiving gender-affirming health care and preventing transgender athletes from playing on girls' and women's K-12 and college sports teams, will take effect in the coming months.
- "I think Lauren and I have an important role to play representing LGBTQ+ people in a positive light," Bruck says. "That's important no matter what's going on."
Details: The two met on social media and have been together for just over a year.
The intrigue: Bruck, who grew up in Licking County outside of Columbus, admits until that moment she didn't know if she could say "girlfriend" on air.
- "A big fear of mine coming out was if it would hinder my career," she says. "But you have to have confidence to speak your truth to the world."
What they're saying: "We're both on the same page in terms of our goals, dreams and passions," Lanzaretta tells Axios.
- "We definitely align with our message of authenticity and helping people be their true selves."
What's next: Lanzaretta is recording a new album and, for the first time, referring to her love interest as "she" and "her" in songs.
- "I am so grateful that I have met her," Bruck says of Lanzaretta. "She pushes me in my career and my everyday life. We enjoy just living in the moment."