A teenager who shared touching side-by-side photos of herself before and after coming out as a lesbian has prompted dozens of other social media users sharing their own ‘glo up’ pictures, showing how they have blossomed similarly.
Caitlin Crowley, 17, took to Twitter earlier this week to share side by side snaps of herself in freshman year and during her senior year of high school.
In the first photo, Caitlin can be seen ready to attend her freshman year dance with a boy named Dylan. The second image shows her sharing a loving kiss with her girlfriend of a year, Kirrin.
Transformation: Caitlin Crowley, 17, took to Twitter earlier this week to share side by side snaps of herself in freshman year (left) and during her senior year of high school (right)
Before and after: The teen asked jokingly whether the transformation counts as a ‘glo up’, since she looks much more confident and absolutely smitten in the second image
Next to her before and after photos, Caitlin wrote: ‘Freshman to senior year, does this count as a glo up???’ The teen looks much more confident, and absolutely smitten, in the second photo.
Caitlin came out as gay six months ago, as did Kirrin. Both of them have been met with an ‘outpoor of love’ from their friends and relatives, as Caitlin told BuzzFeed News.
She originally shared her tweet as a joke with friends, who include Dylan, the boy on her freshman year photo.
‘It was meant to be a funny joke between my friends and I, because Dylan and I are still friends and laugh at our freshman year selves very often,’ the teen said.
Movement: Women responded by sharing their own snaps, which depict them looking slightly awkward next to male partners, and completely at ease next to their girlfriend and wives
Spreading the message: Caitlin’s photo and its accompanying message have resonated with thousands of social media users
Responses: The teen’s tweet has currently earned more than 115,000 likes and almost 30,000 retweets, as well as touching messages of support such as this one
Smitten: Caitlin (pictured) came out as gay six months ago, as did her girlfriend Kirrin. Both of them have been met with an ‘outpoor of love’ from their friends and relatives
But the photos and their accompanying message resonated with thousands of social media users. It has currently earned more than 115,000 likes and almost 30,000 retweets.
Other women responded by sharing their own side by side snaps, which depict them looking slightly awkward next to a male partner, and completely happy and at ease next to their girlfriend and wives.
One of them, Manny Arraiz, 24, from Atlanta, Georgia, posted an archive photo of herself with two boys next to a touching snap of her girlfriend proposing to her during a pride parade lat weekend.
‘I thought it was important to share [the photos] to let people know that even when you’re still in the closet and deal with all the problems—and awesome things — that come with being a young gay person, it all gets better,’ Arraiz told the website.
Replies: The teen didn’t expect to receive the many emotional responses she has seen
Hope: Caitlin now views all the photos as signs of support for people trying to become at peace with their sexuality and perhaps make their own coming out
Cheering her own: Other Twitter users have sent supporting messages to Caitlin while sharing their own side by side pictures
In love: Many women and other teenagers went through their photo archives to share their own ‘glo up’ photos in response to Caitlin’s message
Caitlin didn’t expect to receive the many emotional responses she has seen.
She now views them as signs of support for people trying to become at peace with their sexuality and perhaps make their own coming out.
‘Hearing the stories of complete strangers and their own coming out fears really hit me hard, because when I was first coming to terms with my sexuality I didn’t know a single lesbian,’ she said.
‘To anyone who’s still in the closet: take your time, you are not alone, and you are valid!’