One of science fiction’s most beloved sons, Zachary Quinto, who starred as the Vulcan Spock in 2009’s Star Trek, has publicly announced that he’s gay, and his declaration is hitting a positive note with fans, inspiring others to come out as well.

The actor, who also had a major role on NBC’s Heroes and is currently on FX’s American Horror Story, revealed his homosexuality to New York magazine in an article published this weekend. While Quinto previously avoided talking about his sexual orientation in the press, the actor made a conscious decision to refer to himself as “a gay man” several times during the NY Mag interview.