Anderson Cooper has the most shocking announcement you will see all year

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Though many people already knew Anderson Cooper was gay, many did not. After all, who considers the sexuality of the person delivering the news or hosting the talk show?

That said, even if this is no surprise, it's still very important for the cause of advancing gay rights. Changes in public opinion happen on the personal level. People who are opposed to gay marriage change their mind when they meet gay people -- if their cousin is gay, if their co-worker is gay, and yes, sometimes even if their favorite talk show host is gay.

There is still a significant portion of the population out there who think gay people are scary monsters. Every celebrity you can point to who isn't -- your Anderson Coopers, Ellen Degenereses, and your Neil Patrick Harrises, for example -- only works to broaden acceptance. Having visible, positive role models matters more than you think.