Today is National Coming Out Day
The year after the march inspired many GLBT groups around the country. Among them was a group of 100 GLBT advocates who, four months later, gathered in the D.C. suburb of Manassas, Virginia, to figure out how to ensure that the energy from that March didn’t just dissipate into thin air. Dr. Robert Eichberg, an author and psychologist from New Mexico, and Los Angeles GLBT advocate Jean O’Leary, hit on the idea of a national day to celebrate those who came out and to encourage others to begin to take their first steps toward visibility.
As Dr. Eichberg later explained:
"Most people think they don’t know anyone gay or lesbian, and in fact everybody does. It is imperative that we come out and let people know who we are and disabuse them of their fears and stereotypes.”
The first National Coming Out Day was on October 11, 1988, the first anniversary of the second March on Washington, and it quickly expanded to all fifty states.
You can read about my coming out here:
Coming Out... In The Beginning
Coming Out... The School Days
Coming Out... The Brothers
Coming Out... Dear Sister
Coming Out... The Missionaries
Coming Out... There's Something I Want To Tell You, Son
If you're thinking of coming out, here are some resources from HRC to help you begin your journey:
A La Familia
CATEGORIES: Coming Out, In Communities of Color
A La Familia
CATEGORIES: Coming Out, In Communities of Color
Coming Out at Work
CATEGORIES: Coming Out, Bisexual, Gay, In Communities of Color, Lesbian, Straight Allies,Transgender, Workplace
Glossary of Terms
CATEGORIES: Coming Out, Bisexual, Gay, In Communities of Color, Lesbian, Straight Allies,Transgender
Resource Guide to Coming Out
CATEGORIES: Coming Out
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