Madhavi Pothukuchi| The News Minute| November 7, 2014| 11.00 pm ISTIn what has been hailed as a positive move towards social progress and openness, the Foreign Minister of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics officially came out of the closet on November 6. Latvia, a small country in Eastern Europe has always been an orthodox society that has looked down upon homosexuality. The Foreign Minister tweeted that he is proud to be gay and that he will fight for legalizing it in his country. In India, however, the issue of homosexuality still remains a taboo, even with many gay pride parades and activism to legalise it in the country. It is still a criminal offence to be a homosexual in the country. Does the LGBT movement in India need more celebrities who are gay/lesbian to come out in the open?It is not just about celebrities and public figures declaring their sexual orientation, but in America for example opinion makers including Barack Obama have even come out in support of the LGBT community. In the US, many states have even legalized gay marriages.Here are some influential people that have openly announced their homosexuality in the past year:Ellen Page: The 26-year-old Juno star came out as a lesbian this year at an LGBT Teens conference held in Las Vegas. Jodi Foster: Foster announced her homosexuality at the Golden Globe awards in 2013. Lady Gaga: The famous pop artist announced her inclination towards both men and women in an interview last year. Tim Cooks: The Apple CEO recently came out of the closet to the media. He is being hailed as the most powerful gay man in America. Wentworth Miller: The Prison Break star announced his homosexuality at a film festival in Russia (where, incidentally, homosexuality is criminalized). He even spoke about how he attempted suicide before coming to terms with his sexual identity. In India, the picture is still very different. Activists are still struggling to abolish section 377 that criminalises homosexuality. If public figures came out in the open or at least in support of the LGBT community, maybe there could be some change. “It does make a difference because they are role models for younger people and it sends out a message. There are a few Indians who have come out like Vikram Seth, but by and large Indians I think tend not to make a big splash about these things, there are a growing number of artists who are openly gay but they don't announce it. But yes, at the highest level peoples sexuality is usually underplayed as it might impact a persons professional career” says Siddharth Narain, lawyer and gay rights activist. Read- Coming out: Intimate revelations of homosexuals of Kerala Like Siddharth, many believe that it is a sign of hope when public figures and celebrities come out in support of homosexuality, as it inspires the public to do so as well. More importantly, it provides the LGBT community with icons and pillars of strength and support.