The True-Life Story Behind Kurt's Coming-Out Scene In 'Glee'

Kurt Hummel is one of the most beloved characters on Glee, the musical-comedy drama that was incredibly popular in the early 2010s. Played by Chris Colfer, Kurt's coming out scene in the show's season 1, episode 4, “Preggers” was one of the most heartfelt moments in TV show history during a time when LGBTQ+ representation was scarce. Glee’s creator Ryan Murphy, who is a gay man, reportedly used his own personal experiences coming out to his father as inspiration for the moving scene.

The scene shows Kurt telling his dad “I’m gay.” To which Burt responds, “I’ve known since you were three. All you wanted for your birthday was a pair of sensible heels. I guess I’m not totally in love with the idea, but if that’s who you are, there’s nothing I can do about it. And I love you just as much. Okay?” Although Burt loves likes sports, cars, and beer and Kurt loves musical theatre and fashion, the two eventually grow and Burt overcomes his awkwardness around the idea of Kurt’s sexuality and learns to embrace and supports him wholeheartedly.

Ryan Murphy ended up being a successful showrunner and he wanted to show that gay folk can find happiness and success. According to Screen Rant Murphy said in an interview (via the LA Times) that gay characters so rarely get happy endings, and even more rarely are their sexualities treated with dignity. The producer believed that it was just as important (if not more important) to see gay characters happy and thriving. Murphy told the Guardian that he was “somebody who couldn’t sell a script and was being told that everything I did was too gay or too out-there”. But that didn't stop him. “I only wrote or created shows that I really wanted to watch, so they inevitably had gay characters and trans characters and minorities,” he said. “And I made them the leads instead of the sidekicks, because that is what I did in my own life.”

Chris Colfer ended up winning a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Kurt on Glee. The 32-year-old star reflected on his time on the show calling his relationship with his on-screen dad truly memorable. He told EW, "To this day, I think one of the best things the show has done is portrayed the relationship between me and Mike O’Malley – the Kurt and Burt relationship. I’ll never forget, when I first got the script and I saw that he accepted Kurt for who he was, I got so mad because I was an actor and I was like, “No! I want a scene where I get kicked out and I’m crying! And I’m so emotionally distraught! That is what I want!” Little did I know it was something good for mankind."