Sense8 Season 2 Delivers Spectacular Coming Out Kiss At São Paulo Pride

Alfonso Herrera and Miguel Ángel Silvestre share a kiss in a scene from Sense8

Love, love, loving season 2 of Netflix's sci-fi-fi series, Sense8.

On top  of the complex, sophisticated story-telling, the gay and transgender storylines are front and center, and handled well with sensitivity and authenticity.

One of the highlights of the 11 new episodes occurs as newly out action movie star "Lito Rodriguez" (played by hunky Miguel Ángel Silvestre) is invited to be grand marshal of São Paulo Pride in Brazil.

In his speech at Pride (actually filmed at São Paulo Pride last year), Rodriguez cautiously shares the fears that lead to actors staying in the closet.

"All of my life, I’ve had to pretend to be something I wasn’t. I couldn’t be what I am. I am a gay man. I’ve never said those words in public before. I am a gay man! I am a gay man!"

"Why did I have to be so afraid to say that? Because I know that people are afraid of people that are different than them. And admitting that I’m different, and refusing to be something that I am not, may cost me a career of pretending to be things that I am not, which is kind of crazy when you think about it. But I did. I did.

"For years, I was living inside the fake world of movies, never to imagine that one day, I might be brave enough to do something like this."

"This is Hernando. He is the love of my life. I am a better and braver person because of him. And whatever it cost for me to be able to do this, I know in my heart that it is worth it."

The entire season lives up to and exceeds my expectations. Not only regarding LGBT characters but the storytelling as a whole.

I can't recommend season 2 of Sense8 enough. Check it out now on Netflix.

Watch "Lito's" speech below.