Is "Coming Out" Passé?

Coming out as a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person has, for many years, been an act that is not only emotionally difficult but that could have very severe -- and negative -- consequences for an LGBT person's work, home, family and personal life, not to mention her or his safety.

But in a week when Anderson Cooper casually came out in an email to a friend and R&B singer Frank Ocean blogged about his first love being a man, we're wondering if we're seeing a shift in the way that people are revealing and discussing their sexuality. Perhaps less “I’M GAY!” and a little more “oh, by the way...”

Reactions to coming out are also changing as more and more people respond with "Who cares?" and "A person's sexuality or gender identity shouldn't matter!" But others point to the continued need for visibility for the LGBT community and the importance of more and more people coming out -- especially influential public figures and celebrities.

Where do you stand on the issue? Has coming out changed? Is it still a big deal? Is it still important for the LGBT community?

Watch the live video discussion above.