Actor Kevin Conroy is well known to Batman fans as the long time voice of the Caped Crusader in Batman: The Animated Series, its spin-offs, and a host of other media including TV, video games, and more, even appearing in live-action as an older Bruce Wayne in the DC TV Arrowverse version of 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'.
But with the release of DC Pride 2022, the publisher's anthology featuring queer characters and creators which was released on June 7, fans are getting to know a whole different, more personal side of Conroy thanks to his contribution to DC Pride 2022, a story explaining how voicing Batman and learning to embody a superhero has helped him live as an out gay man, after facing scrutiny and abuse for his sexuality in his early career.
Conroy first publicly expressed his sexuality in a 2016 interview, though the revelation went largely unnoticed. Now, with the release of his DC Pride 2022 story, Conroy is opening up more than ever about how being Batman helped him come into his own, and how important stories that empower queer people and enlighten allies can be.
In a video posted to his public Twitter account, Conroy is following up on his story by thanking fans "for the reactions I've been getting for the story I wrote for DC Pride." He goes on to thank his co-creators J. Bone and Aditya Bikar.
"Whenever you share something, you risk. And you all made that risk so worthwhile," Conroy states.
Here's the video:
Thank you pic.twitter.com/qEMK2LfAHQJune 8, 2022
Conroy's story recounts his early days as an actor, struggling with his sexuality amidst harassment from his peers and others in the entertainment industry as well as his own upbringing, culminating in his landing the voice role of Batman for the now legendary Batman: The Animated Series. The story goes on to compare the idea of Batman and his secret identity as Bruce Wayne to living a double life as a closeted gay man - a life that Conroy now leads openly.
DC Pride 2022 is on sale now.
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