When it came to his high school graduation, 18-year-old student Shankar Lal wasn't expecting a standing ovation - but that's precisely what he got.
Wanting to share his authentic self, Lal used his moment on the podium to come out to his classmates - whipping out a Pride flag and bringing members of the crowd to their feet.
He shared the touching moment on social media, captioning the video with: "We love a reveal!"
“I decided that I wanted to come out at graduation a month before it actually happened,” he said.
He continued: “I remember shopping at Target and seeing all the pride gear. I thought to myself, Wouldn’t it be crazy if I just whipped out a pride flag at graduation?”
"The response was insane,” Lal said. “I walked across the stage with my pride flag over my shoulders and suddenly everyone started cheering for me. I remember hearing my principal and teachers tell me they were proud of me.”
Lal, who came out to his family beforehand, called it "one of the proudest moments" of his life.
“There was so much love in that room," he said.
"It was amazing. Even on social media, I had so much love and support."
