I wish we lived in a society that made it safe and provided the

The luminous actress and advocate Judith Light once spoke words that resonate like a prayer for a braver and kinder world: “I wish we lived in a society that made it safe and provided the courage for everyone to come out.” In this brief and tender sentence lies not only compassion but also conviction — the conviction that truth, safety, and courage are the foundation stones of human dignity. Light’s words speak of a world where honesty should not require heroism, and where one’s identity — be it of the heart, the mind, or the spirit — can be lived openly without fear. Her wish is, in truth, the longing of all those who have ever hidden their light from the world: that society itself would become a place where being oneself is not an act of rebellion, but of belonging.

The origin of this quote springs from Judith Light’s lifelong advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and for all who live on the margins of acceptance. Known not only for her artistry but for her deep empathy, she witnessed the pain of silence during the AIDS crisis — a time when truth could cost one’s career, one’s family, even one’s life. Her wish was not only for individuals to find the courage to come out, but for society to create the conditions where such courage would no longer be necessary. In her words, “to come out” is not merely a personal act, but a collective moral test. It is the measure of whether a civilization values truth over conformity, love over fear.

When Light speaks of a society that “makes it safe,” she invokes a vision of justice far older than politics — the kind of safety that allows the soul to breathe freely. For in every age, there have been those forced to hide their essence to survive: the philosopher who cloaked his ideas in allegory, the artist who disguised truth in myth, the lover who whispered his heart’s name only in the dark. But Light’s plea is that the veil should no longer be needed — that a truly enlightened world would make honesty a birthright, not a risk. Her words echo the wisdom of the ancients, who taught that no society can call itself free while any of its people must live in fear for being who they are.

Her invocation of courage is profound. For while safety must be given by society, courage must be born within. To come out — whether as gay, trans, different, or simply authentic — is to stand before the world and declare, “This is who I am,” knowing that the world may not yet be ready to receive it. Such courage is not the loud roar of defiance, but the steady pulse of truth that refuses to be extinguished. It is the same courage that animated the suffragettes who demanded the right to vote, the civil rights marchers who faced dogs and fire hoses, and the poets and prophets who spoke truth to power. In Light’s vision, courage is not only individual — it is contagious, a spark that spreads from one heart to another until it becomes the dawn.

Consider the story of Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. In an era of hostility and violence, he stood in the sunlight of truth, not because it was safe, but because he believed that visibility itself was power. “Hope,” he said, “will never be silent.” Like Judith Light, Milk believed that every act of authenticity chips away at the walls of fear that imprison us all. His courage cost him his life, yet his legacy gave countless others the strength to live their truth. From his sacrifice came not despair, but a movement — proof that even one courageous voice can change the moral weather of the world.

Yet Light’s words remind us that courage should not have to be born of desperation. A just world does not demand that its people walk through fire to be seen. It builds bridges of compassion, schools of understanding, and laws of protection. It teaches its children that difference is not danger but beauty. To provide courage, as she says, is to create a culture where empathy replaces judgment and love drives out fear. It means standing beside those who tremble, lending them your strength until they find their own. For when we make it safe for others to be honest, we make it possible for truth to flourish everywhere — and truth, as all wise teachers have known, is the root of every lasting happiness.

Thus, let this be the lesson to those who would build a better world: be both the safety and the courage for others. Speak words that affirm, not wound. Defend the right of every soul to exist in their own truth. When you see someone hiding, reach out your hand and let them know the world can hold them. For every act of understanding, every defense of dignity, every moment of compassion brings humanity closer to Judith Light’s dream — a society radiant with honesty, where no one need whisper who they are.

And so her wish becomes our charge: to create a world where authenticity is no longer an act of bravery, but the natural state of a free and loving people. For in the end, to make it safe and to provide courage is not only kindness — it is justice, and it is love made visible.