Country music star Chely Wright is looking back on her groundbreaking decision to come out as gay in 2010, a move that paved the way for more LGBTQ+ artists to follow in her footsteps.

Wright, 54, became the first openly gay country artist when she came out 15 years ago, and she's proud of the impact she's had on the industry. "I love that I got to put down a pebble on a not well-traveled path in country music — but certainly a more traveled path than it was in 2010," she tells PEOPLE.

Wright's decision to come out was not an easy one. She had contemplated suicide in 2006, but eventually decided to take control of her narrative and share her story with the world. "I had a responsibility to raise my hand and say, 'I am gay, and I'm proud of who I am,'" she says.

Wright's coming out was met with both support and criticism, but she's proud of the way she handled it. "I didn't want to just come out, I wanted to 'come out well,'" she says. "I wanted to share my own harrowing story, as well as team up with professionals at organizations like GLAAD and GLSEN to help me best represent the LGBTQ+ community."

Today, Wright believes that the country music industry is more welcoming to LGBTQ+ artists than ever before. "Representation matters," she says. "That's why the firsts matter, and the seconds and the thirds and the fourths." She cites artists like Ty Herndon, TJ Osborne, and Maren Morris, who have all followed in her footsteps and come out as LGBTQ+.

However, Wright also acknowledges that there is still work to be done. "I think the conversations are well underway, and so we need more people to raise their hands, only if they feel safe and able," she says. "There is an inertia built up behind a first. And once that first stage gate is tipped over, things can happen very quickly."

Wright's legacy extends beyond the country music industry. She's been an inspiration to LGBTQ+ individuals around the world, and she's proud of the impact she's had on the community. "I think the fragility of our community and the rights that we've achieved is at center stage right now," she says. "And I think we're all reckoning with how much progress was made in such a short amount of time, and how terribly fragile those freedoms and protections are."

Read more about Chely Wright's journey and the evolution of LGBTQ+ representation in country music:

• History in the Making: Married Couple Aims to Become First Husband and Wife Jeopardy Winners
• Cameron Brink Says Going Fully Naked for Photo Shoot Wasn't an Issue
• Debbie Gibson Opens Up About Writing Her Memoir, Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music

Chely Wright's story is an inspiration to us all, and a reminder of the importance of representation and visibility in the LGBTQ+ community.