The coming out scene is a staple of gay stories, as it's an important moment gay people experience repeatedly in their lives. In honor of National Coming Out Day, here's a few of my favorite coming out scenes.

Luke Snyder
From: As the World Turns

Right now, Van Hansis is breaking new ground as part of the first gay male romance on an American soap opera, but Luke Snyder's coming out was memorable as well for giving us so much nuance in his family's reaction. Holden had suspected Luke was gay for some time (his only concern being that Luke hadn't felt free to confide in him), while Lily felt betrayed at the idea of people in her family knowing things that she didn't. While Luke's parents were both inclined to be supportive of him, their reactions included a mix of emotions that made it one of the most memorable moments in recent memory for ATWT fans.

Steven Carter
From: Get Real

This mostly sweet teen romance climaxes when Steven comes out at his graduation ceremony. The heartfelt speech is bittersweet since Steven's boyfriend, John Dixon, remains firmly closeted, ensuring that the relationship cannot continue.

Marco DelRossi
From: Degrassi: The Next Generation

When Dylan couldn't stand being in a relationship with a closeted boyfriend any longer he broke up with Marco, leading to a rather sensitive scene where Marco's mother figures it all out from seeing her son heartbroken.

Jamie and Ste
From: Beautiful Thing

Beautiful Thing ended with the unforgettable image of Ste and Jamie slow dancing in the courtyard of their housing complex. As the camera pulls back, Cass Elliot's "Dream a Little Dream" plays and their neighbors react to the sight of the youths being so openly affectionate with each other.

It's not to hard to find gay characters who work in the arts or as teachers, doctors, bartenders and as assistants, but blue collar gay characters don't come up nearly as often. In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday in the U.S., let's take a look at some of those blue collar gay characters that have graced the big and small screen.

Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist
From: Brokeback Mountain

A look at gay characters who put in a day's hard work could never overlook the sheep herders who spurred the discussion of gay relationships like never before in 2005. Working outdoors for a summer under the endless Wyoming sky, the two forged a bond that couldn't be severed by time or distance.

Ivan Jones
From: Emmerdale

Having just learned about him, I can't ignore the hunky bisexual garbage man from Brit soap Emmerdale. Ivan struggled with his feelings for Paul, only to have the relationship thwarted by Paul's step-sister. Did you know that they're called "binmen" there? I wonder if "binman" has less unpleasant connotation than "garbage man" does.

Jeff Mitchelland Greg
From: The Sum of Us

This 1994 comedy gave us Russel Crowe as a gay plumber who lived with a father that couldn't be shocked by his son's sex life. Crowe's character, Jeff, makes a connection with one of his dates, Greg, a gardener, though Jeff requires pressure from his father before finally pursuing the relationship.