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It’s National Coming Out Day—♫ ♪ Come out Come Out Wherever You Are ♪ ♫—and even though we have a lying hypocritical bigoted homophobe in the White House who is working to push us back into the closet, not only are we not going, but today, today, a permanent Rainbow flag will fly on federal land when it is hoisted above the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan.
The flag—which will be maintained by the National Park Service—will be raised at noon today, which just happens to also be the 30th anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for LGBT. On that day hundreds of thousands of LGBT Americans and our allies called for an end to discrimination and more federal funding for AIDS research and treatment. That was also the first time the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was unfurled and displayed on the National Mall with 1,920 panels covering a space larger than a football field to commemorate those who had died.
Gilbert Baker, who created the original rainbow flag in 1978, passed away this year at the age of 65 so this is a fitting tribute to him as well:
“The rainbow is a part of nature, and you have to be in the right place to see it. It’s beautiful, all of the colors, even the colors you can’t see. That really fit us as a people because we are all of the colors… we are all the genders, races and ages.”
So, while we watch as those in charge seek to deny us equality, and make us feel less than, let’s take a moment and realize that we have come this far, and we may still have a ways to go, but not even this Bigot-In-Chief will stop us.
The march goes on ... so, if you haven't already done so, come on out already!
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Showing posts with label National Coming Out Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Coming Out Day. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
National Coming Out Day
Friday, October 11, 2013
Repost: LGBT History Month: National Coming Out Day*
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*originally posted October 11, 2009
We all have our times that we choose to "come out;" to tell our friends and family, so-workers and bosses that we're gay. We all have the right to do it in our own time and in our own way.
But, to make things a bit easier, and maybe to make you feel a little less alone, we have National Coming Out Day.
And it's today!
National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and openly discussing LGBT issues.
The founders of National Coming Out Day, Rob Eichberg, Ph.D. and Jean O'Leary, believe that we should all use this day to begin living our lives openly and powerfully; to be who we are; to show the world we matter, that we count.
Eichberg and O'Leary, acting on behalf of their organizations, The Experience and National Gay Rights Advocates, founded the day in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights which had occurred the year before; over half-a-million gays and lesbians had marched that day for equality, something we are still fighting for some twenty-five years later.
And we could use everyone's help. If you're gay, and good for you, by the way, and still in the closet, why not open that door a smidge and let some light in. Tell one friend; tell someone in your family; tell a co-worker. Tell someone. It really will be okay.
I won't lie to you and say everyone will celebrate your newfound openness with cheers and parades, though wouldn't that be nice, but you will find that most people already knew, or suspected; you will find that most people love you anyway.
You will find that it's okay.
Hell, it's downright fabulous.
National Coming Out Day. Tell a friend.
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| On This Day In LGBT History October 11, 1884 – Eleanor Roosevelt is born in New York City. She was the wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, and while he had his lady friends, Eleanor had hers. In her case, one special lady friend: Lorena Hickok. “Hick darling,” Eleanor wrote, “Oh I want to put my arms around you…I want to hold you close.” October 11, 1979 – Toronto Police raid gay bathhouse, the Hot Tub Club, and charge forty men with bawdyhouse charges. October 11, 1987 – The Baltimore Gay and Lesbian Community Center refused to provide meeting space to NAMBLA after the local gay and lesbian community responded to the request with outrage. They had considered the request despite their opposition to NAMBLA’s views but felt the tremendous negative reaction of the community indicated that it would interfere with BGLCC’s own mission. October 11, 1987 – The second march on Washington drew 1/2 million people. The NAMES project AIDS quilt was displayed with 1,920 panels. Rev Jesse Jackson addressed the crowd, calling for AIDS funding, civil rights protection, and an end to anti-gay violence. October 11, 1988 – The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated. October 11, 1993 – After learning they did not have the authority to carry out their threat, Fairfax County Virginia supervisors voted to withdraw a threat to abolish the library board for refusing to ban the distribution of gay and lesbian books and magazines. October 11, 1993 – The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a former CIA employee who was fired for acknowledging he was gay. October 11, 1999 – After receiving an angry letter from GLAAD, World Champion Wrestling discontinued the “Lenny” and “Lodi” characters whose arena entrance routinely sparked chants of “fag.” October 11, 1999 – Rev. Jerry Falwell and other religious conservatives held an event in San Francisco to encourage gay men and lesbians to leave the homosexual lifestyle. |
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Repost: LGBT History Month: National Coming Out Day*
*originally posted October 11, 2009
We all have our times that we choose to "come out;" to tell our friends and family, so-workers and bosses that we're gay. We all have the right to do it in our own time and in our own way.
But, to make things a bit easier, and maybe to make you feel a little less alone, we have National Coming Out Day.
And it's today!
National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and openly discussing LGBT issues.
Eichberg and O'Leary, acting on behalf of their organizations, The Experience and National Gay Rights Advocates, founded the day in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights which had occurred the year before; over half-a-million gays and lesbians had marched that day for equality, something we are still fighting for some twenty years later.
And we could use everyone's help. If you're gay, and good for you, by the way, and still in the closet, why not open that door a smidge and let some light in. Tell one friend; tell someone in your family; tell a co-worker. Tell someone. It really will be okay.
I won't lie to you and say everyone will celebrate your newfound openness with cheers and parades, though wouldn't that be nice, but you will find that most people already knew, or suspected; you will find that most people love you anyway.
You will find that it's okay.
Hell, it's downright fabulous.
National Coming Out Day.
Tell a friend.
On This Day In LGBT History
October 11, 1884 – Eleanor Roosevelt is born in New York City. She was the wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, and while he had his lady friends, Eleanor had hers. In her case, one special lady friend: Lorena Hickok. “Hick darling,” Eleanor wrote, “Oh I want to put my arms around you…I want to hold you close.”
October 11, 1979 – Toronto Police raid gay bathhouse, the Hot Tub Club, and charge forty men with bawdyhouse charges.
October 11, 1987 – The Baltimore Gay and Lesbian Community Center refused to provide meeting space to NAMBLA after the local gay and lesbian community responded to the request with outrage. They had considered the request despite their opposition to NAMBLA’s views but felt the tremendous negative reaction of the community indicated that it would interfere with BGLCC’s own mission.
October 11, 1987 – The second march on Washington drew 1/2 million people. The NAMES project AIDS quilt was displayed with 1,920 panels. Rev Jesse Jackson addressed the crowd, calling for AIDS funding, civil rights protection, and an end to anti-gay violence.
October 11, 1988 – The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated.
October 11, 1993 – After learning they did not have the authority to carry out their threat, Fairfax County Virginia supervisors voted to withdraw a threat to abolish the library board for refusing to ban the distribution of gay and lesbian books and magazines.
October 11, 1993 – The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a former CIA employee who was fired for acknowledging he was gay.
October 11, 1999 – After receiving an angry letter from GLAAD, World Champion Wrestling discontinued the “Lenny” and “Lodi” characters whose arena entrance routinely sparked chants of “fag.”
October 11, 1999 – Rev. Jerry Falwell and other religious conservatives held an event in San Francisco to encourage gay men and lesbians to leave the homosexual lifestyle.
On This Day In LGBT History
October 11, 1884 – Eleanor Roosevelt is born in New York City. She was the wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, and while he had his lady friends, Eleanor had hers. In her case, one special lady friend: Lorena Hickok. “Hick darling,” Eleanor wrote, “Oh I want to put my arms around you…I want to hold you close.”
October 11, 1979 – Toronto Police raid gay bathhouse, the Hot Tub Club, and charge forty men with bawdyhouse charges.
October 11, 1987 – The Baltimore Gay and Lesbian Community Center refused to provide meeting space to NAMBLA after the local gay and lesbian community responded to the request with outrage. They had considered the request despite their opposition to NAMBLA’s views but felt the tremendous negative reaction of the community indicated that it would interfere with BGLCC’s own mission.
October 11, 1987 – The second march on Washington drew 1/2 million people. The NAMES project AIDS quilt was displayed with 1,920 panels. Rev Jesse Jackson addressed the crowd, calling for AIDS funding, civil rights protection, and an end to anti-gay violence.
October 11, 1988 – The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated.
October 11, 1993 – After learning they did not have the authority to carry out their threat, Fairfax County Virginia supervisors voted to withdraw a threat to abolish the library board for refusing to ban the distribution of gay and lesbian books and magazines.
October 11, 1993 – The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a former CIA employee who was fired for acknowledging he was gay.
October 11, 1999 – After receiving an angry letter from GLAAD, World Champion Wrestling discontinued the “Lenny” and “Lodi” characters whose arena entrance routinely sparked chants of “fag.”
October 11, 1999 – Rev. Jerry Falwell and other religious conservatives held an event in San Francisco to encourage gay men and lesbians to leave the homosexual lifestyle.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wrestlers Come Out As Allies
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| David Lalo, Anthony Buxton and Steven Keith [l to r] |
There are few sports with a more macho image than wrestling, and yet there are many wrestlers who are openly LGBTQ-friendly. Hudson Taylor comes to mind first and foremost, but he has some gay-ally competition coming after him in the Harvard wrestling team.
Last Tuesday, on National Coming Out Day, before their afternoon practice, members of the Harvard varsity wrestling team posed for a picture on the steps in front of the Malkin Athletic Center. But rather than wear\their wrestling uniforms in this photo, the team chose to come in gay pride attire and rainbow pins that read “Proud Ally.”
According to Harvard wrestler David Lalo, it was a non-resident tutor Robert Joseph “RJ” Jenkins, who inspired the team to participate in National Coming Out Day: “[R.J.] has made a tremendous impact across our team...[and]...we wanted to show him we support the LGBT community.”
Jenkins, who is openly gay, said that he casually brought up the idea of wearing the pins one day while speaking with several athletes in the Lowell dining hall and was pleasantly surprised when they responded positively to his proposal: “I started to imagine it as an opportunity for them to come out as allies. To think about a day for allies to come out and say, ‘I accept these people in my life. I accept them for who they are.’”
The team decided that their close friendship with Jenkins was the guiding force in coming out as LGBTQ allies. Steven Keith wore a shirt that read, “Some Kids R Gay. That’s OK.” Others wore shirts that rad: "Some dudes marry dudes. Get over it."
Timothy P. McCarthy, director of the Sexuality, Gender, and Human Rights program at Harvard, remembers a time when LGBTQ students at Harvard faced a lot of stigma, and he sees this display of solidarity between the wrestling team and LGBTQ students as a major step forward.
RJ Jenkins believes the wrestling team, and other athletes, could become the new leaders in efforts to combat discrimination against LGBTQ-identified individuals. And it's nice to see anyone come forward as an ally to the gay community, but it's even more promising when those allies come from the world of sports, which has often been considered a very homophobic group.
Perhaps the Harvard wrestling team can help hange that.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
National Coming Out Day
This is a repost from last year on this date.
Well, I'm out.
Everywhere. Work, friends, family, the neighbors. The checkers at Kroger. I don't think I keep it a secret at all.
Now, of course, that doesn't mean it's easy, nor that it's been easy. I struggled with coming out when I was younger like almost gay person struggled. I remember specifically the day my mother asked if I was gay. Well, I wasn't ready to say Yes, so I almost shouted No, and then left my parent's home. I didn't come back for a few months because I was angry and hurt and ashamed.
I had no idea what they would think or say or do, but I was ashamed that I hadn't said Yes that day. I was angry that my mother had to ask; I was hurt that I couldn't be honest.
So, why couldn't I have said Yes that day?
Simply put, I wasn't ready. And you--and I'm talking to you--need to come out when you're damned good and ready. But when you do, and it will take time coming out to everyone, you will feel the weight lifted. You will feel like you should have done it long ago.
Yes, even if your friends turn their backs. You'll find new friends.
And, yes, even if your family turns their backs. That can be hard, feeling your family pull away. But then you can create your own, new family. Gay people often create their own families--if their biological ones aren't quite so accepting, so open--and you'll get to make the family of your dreams, who will love you, and better still, like you, for simply being you.
It does get better. And it gets easier.
And the more of us that are out, the less afraid people will be.
I remember when Carlos and I first moved to Smallville. I was worried about small town South Carolina because I'd lived in Miami and California before that, and it was easiER, not easy, to come out in places where there are more liberal thinkers.
So, when someone asked why I had moved to Smallville from Miami, I jokingly asked, Have you ever been to Miami? Then I muttered something about hurricanes causing me--I didn't say us--to move, and that was partly true. But I felt that same old sense of shame creeping over me again, whenever i would say me instead of we; and I didn't want to go back to that, no matter how small the town.
So, the next time someone asked what brought me to South Carolina, I simply said, My partner got a job offer up here and we were ready to move away from hurricanes.
Imagine my surprise, when the next thing I heard was: Oh, what does he do?
It's simple. I was out again.
And it does make things easier. There isn't that pause before you answer, so you can form a non-gender-specific response. It's still Carlos and I. There isn't that awkward moment when someone asks what your wife does, and I say, Well, my husband works for.....
It does get better. It does get easier.
So, if you aren't out, come out. If you're ready. If you aren't ready, that's okay, but I can guarantee you that it's fine to be gay.
In fact, it's downright fabulous.
Everywhere. Work, friends, family, the neighbors. The checkers at Kroger. I don't think I keep it a secret at all.
Now, of course, that doesn't mean it's easy, nor that it's been easy. I struggled with coming out when I was younger like almost gay person struggled. I remember specifically the day my mother asked if I was gay. Well, I wasn't ready to say Yes, so I almost shouted No, and then left my parent's home. I didn't come back for a few months because I was angry and hurt and ashamed.
I had no idea what they would think or say or do, but I was ashamed that I hadn't said Yes that day. I was angry that my mother had to ask; I was hurt that I couldn't be honest.
So, why couldn't I have said Yes that day?
Simply put, I wasn't ready. And you--and I'm talking to you--need to come out when you're damned good and ready. But when you do, and it will take time coming out to everyone, you will feel the weight lifted. You will feel like you should have done it long ago.
Yes, even if your friends turn their backs. You'll find new friends.
And, yes, even if your family turns their backs. That can be hard, feeling your family pull away. But then you can create your own, new family. Gay people often create their own families--if their biological ones aren't quite so accepting, so open--and you'll get to make the family of your dreams, who will love you, and better still, like you, for simply being you.
It does get better. And it gets easier.
And the more of us that are out, the less afraid people will be.
I remember when Carlos and I first moved to Smallville. I was worried about small town South Carolina because I'd lived in Miami and California before that, and it was easiER, not easy, to come out in places where there are more liberal thinkers.
So, when someone asked why I had moved to Smallville from Miami, I jokingly asked, Have you ever been to Miami? Then I muttered something about hurricanes causing me--I didn't say us--to move, and that was partly true. But I felt that same old sense of shame creeping over me again, whenever i would say me instead of we; and I didn't want to go back to that, no matter how small the town.
So, the next time someone asked what brought me to South Carolina, I simply said, My partner got a job offer up here and we were ready to move away from hurricanes.
Imagine my surprise, when the next thing I heard was: Oh, what does he do?
It's simple. I was out again.
And it does make things easier. There isn't that pause before you answer, so you can form a non-gender-specific response. It's still Carlos and I. There isn't that awkward moment when someone asks what your wife does, and I say, Well, my husband works for.....
It does get better. It does get easier.
So, if you aren't out, come out. If you're ready. If you aren't ready, that's okay, but I can guarantee you that it's fine to be gay.
In fact, it's downright fabulous.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
LGBT History Month: National Coming Out Day
We all have our times that we choose to "come out;" to tell our friends and family, so-workers and bosses that we're gay. We all have the right to do it in our own time and in our own way.
But, to make things a bit easier, and maybe to make you feel a little less alone, we have National Coming Out Day.
And it's today!
National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and openly discussing LGBT issues.
The founders of National Coming Out Day, Rob Eichberg, Ph.D. and Jean O'Leary, believe that we should all use this day to begin living our lives openly and powerfully; to be who we are; to show the world we matter, that we count.
Eichberg and O'Leary, acting on behalf of their organizations, The Experience and National Gay Rights Advocates, founded the day in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights which had occurred the year before; over half-a-million gays and lesbians had marched that day for equality, something we are still fighting for some twenty years later.
And we could use everyone's help. If you're gay, and good for you, by the way, and still in the closet, why not open that door a smidge and let some light in. Tell one friend; tell someone in your family; tell a co-worker. Tell someone. It really will be okay.
I won't lie to you and say everyone will celebrate your newfound openness with cheers and parades, though wouldn't that be nice, but you will find that most people already knew, or suspected; you will find that most people love you anyway.
You will find that it's okay.
Hell, it's downright fabulous.
National Coming Out Day.
Tell a friend.
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