Actress Natalie Morales 'comes out' as queer

Parks And Recreation star Natalie Morales has "come out" as queer.

The 32-year-old actress made the announcement on Twitter and on her former co-star Amy Poehler's Smart Girls website on Friday (30Jun17).

"I'm coming out. I want the world to know," she wrote on the social media site, noting it was the last day of Pride Month.

"I don't like labeling myself, or anyone else, but if it's easier for you to understand me, what I'm saying is that I'm queer," she added on the website. "What queer means to me is just simply that I'm not straight. That's all. It's not scary, even though that word used to be really, really scary to me."

Morales explained she was inspired to come out because of all the difficulties the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community is facing around the world.

"The reason I decided to share this with you and with the world is because even though me telling you I'm queer might not be a big deal these days, things are still pretty bad out there for people like me...," she added. "Our safe spaces are not safe. I think it's important that I tell you that this familiar face you see on your TV is the Q part of LGBTQ, so that if you didn't know someone who was queer before, you do now."