Kinsey Ratzman told her family she was gay a few weeks ago. Last Saturday, they surprised her with a party.
LAWRENCE -- Kinsey Ratzman told her parents she was gay in May, and later announced the news to her friends via Instagram in late June.
With her parents, the conversation was "awkward, but very sweet," the 17-year-old Lawrence teen said.
Kinsey Ratzman Last Saturday, they told her they were having an early Fourth of July party.
But the party was really for her: to celebrate her coming out and show their support.
"I walk into my house with rainbows everywhere. It was so amazing. The response I have received has been amazing but so shocking," Ratzman said.
Ratzman then went on social media, describing the party and posting pictures. And it took off. Her Twitter followers shot from 3,500 to almost 5,000.
News of the pride party her parents threw for her has been reported in Canda, Brazil and all over the country.
"I've had tweets blow up before, but this is the most personal one to have ever gotten so large," she said.
"My friends, mutuals, and Twitter followers have all been so wonderful through this all," Ratzman said in a Twitter message. "And especially in light of the Pulse shootings this past Pride Month, our community needs a little joy and hope and I'm glad to say my family has helped contribute to that."
Ratzman, who will be a senior at a private school in Bucks County, Pa. this fall, said it was gratifying that her positive coming-out experience has helped others.
"The most heartwarming experiences I've experienced are LGBT kids (and some adults even) telling me that I've inspired them to come out or to be more comfortable in their own skin at least," she wrote.
"I am so grateful for the kind words shared with me over this amazing occurrence and I hope for a world one day that this will be the norm for coming out experiences."
My DMs are full of people sharing their coming out stories and their future plans for coming out bc of my tweet. My heart is so warmed [?]
-- kinsey (@notkinz) July 5, 2016
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.