So I came out during my valedictorian speech. It was definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done but the reaction was amazing. Thank you to everyone who supported me! #Pride2019 #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/u8ih03NTJd

The overarching theme of the speech was about being proud (it is pride month) so I decided that I couldn’t tell people to be proud of who they are when I was in hiding for so long. Anyways, I did this not only for me but for anyone else who has struggled being closeted.

For a “long time, I have struggled with my sexuality. I’ve dodged it and ignored it because I wasn’t proud of who I am,” Bleu said in his speech Saturday. “But today I’m changing that. I’m proud to be a bisexual man.”

Bleu also counseled his classmates:

An important thing about being proud is that you should always be proud of yourself before you want anyone to be proud of you.

On Monday, Bleu told “CBS This Morning” that he wasn’t certain he was going to reveal his bisexuality until the moment arrived, and he didn’t submit that part of his speech to school authorities for approval ahead of time.

Since the speech, Bleu has become something of a media and internet star. The video of his speech went viral with nearly 1 million views by Monday night. And the 14 followers on his Twitter account quickly ballooned to nearly 3,000.