National Coming Out Day

What does that mean? It's a day when LGBTQ+ people honor our sexual orientations and gender identities by sharing them with others, often for the first time.

Years passed before a student came out to me, and when one finally did, he was so ashamed that he couldn’t even say the word “gay” in my office. The date was chosen in 1988 to commemorate the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which had taken place on October 11, 1987. In recent years, I’ve been a volunteer with the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention/crisis intervention lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth, and SAGE, which supports LGBTQ+ senior citizens. I was 17 years old, fully aware that I was gay, and terrified. Many of us spent years in the closet. Every October 11, the United States celebrates National Coming Out Day.

The collaboration is being announced on National Coming Out Day, an awareness day for LGBTQIA+ Americans and allies to encourage visibility, safety and ...

The inaugural “Sip and Sing” musical sing along kicks off on December 8th. “Having LGBTQIA+ specific entertainment on an ongoing basis in Montclair will be a joy for LGBTQIA+ people to see and participate in. [Vanguard Theater](https://www.vanguardtheatercompany.org/) will also host a series of classic LGBTQIA+ inclusive Broadway musicals with professional actors: The Spitfire Grill (beginning November 11), Passing Strange (February 24, 2023), Cabaret (April 21, 2023), Spring Awakening (June 23, 2023). “The arts are where our stories come alive to expand hearts, minds and acceptance,” said Janeece Freeman Clark, co-founding Artistic Director of Vanguard Theater. The collaboration will feature drag performances, “sip and sings” for community members to gather and belt out Broadway standards in intimate piano bar style, and a series of main stage professional performances with LGBTQIA+ inclusive characters and themes, including The Spitfire Grill, Passing Strange, Cabaret and Spring Awakening. “LGBTQIA+ people are drawn to Montclair for just this kind of celebration of diversity and talent, and we could not be more thrilled to collaborate with the artists of Vanguard Theater,” said Out Montclair President, Peter Yacobellis.

Northwestern Now talked with faculty experts across the University about an array of efforts to protect marriage equality in the wake of the Roe v.

[Robert Murphy](mailto:https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=12723) is executive director of the Havey Institute for Global Health, professor of medicine and biomedical engineering and the John Phair Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Feinberg School of Medicine. [Kathryn Macapagal](mailto:https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=31985) is a clinical psychologist, associate professor in medical social sciences at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and associate director of The Center for Translational Health Research and Interventions Advancing Equity for Sexual and Gender Minorities at ISGMH. [Jagadīśa-devasrī Dacus](mailto:https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=51592) is associate director of ISGMH, a research assistant professor and social worker. [Brian Mustanski](mailto:https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=21899) is a clinical psychologist, director of ISGMH, and a professor of medical social sciences, infectious diseases and psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and co-director of the NIH-funded Third Coast Center for AIDS Research. [Andrew Koppelman](mailto:https://www.law.northwestern.edu/faculty/profiles/andrewkoppelman/) is the John Paul Stevens Professor of Law at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and a professor of political science. Patrick Johnson](mailto:https://afam.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/e-patrick-johnson.html) is dean of the School of Communication and Annenberg University Professor at Northwestern. [Héctor Carrillo](mailto:https://sociology.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/core/hector-carrillo.html) is a professor of sociology and gender and sexuality studies at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and has affiliations with Latino/a Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Science and Human Culture, the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and the Institute for Gender and Sexual Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH). [alithia zamantakis](mailto:https://isgmh.northwestern.edu/people/postdoctoral-fellows/) is a postdoctoral scholar at ISGMH who conducts qualitative research and is a community activist for intersectional queer/trans justice. “The World Professional Association for Transgender Health still has work to do to ensure its standards of care are representative of the needs and experiences of all non-cisgender people,” said alithia zamantakis, a postdoctoral scholar and community activist for intersectional queer/trans justice. In this environment, it is imperative that all stakeholders push as hard as possible for access to diagnostics, care and treatment.” Being endemic in Africa for many decades, there is a vaccine and a treatment,” Dr. “There’s enough room in this society for everyone to pursue their own understanding of what makes a good life,” said Andrew Koppelman, professor of law.

From Joy Huerta or Jesse y Joy to Pablo Alboran, here's how some of Latin music's biggest stars have decided to publicly come out.

He wrote, “This kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.” His life was reflected in his art with 2010’s “Disparo al Corazón” music video, which featured a just-married gay couple. I am proud to be the granddaughter and daughter of immigrants who were brave enough to leave their homes and come to a whole new world with a different language and culture and immerse themselves fearlessly to start a better life for themselves and their families.” In a previous [interview](https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/kany-garcia-soy-yo-coming-out-puerto-rico-new-album-8456539/) with Billboard, García reflected on coming out: “I asked a friend to take care of my social media that day, because I didn’t want to read anything. “And even though I never thought that the love of my life would be a woman, seven years ago we met and love took us both by surprise,” Huerta wrote in Spanish. In 2020, electro-cumbia artist Raymix (real name: Edmundo Gómez Moreno) took to social media to come out as gay to his fans, opening up for the first time about his sexuality. “With so much pride today, I want to tell you that I’m gay. During the 2020 Pride Month, Spanish crooner Alborán dropped a nearly three-minute video on Instagram with the caption “I have something to say.” “We need to reconsider our lives, careers, what does and doesn’t make us happy. “Although I am scared and filled with uncertainty I know that I can rely on the support of my fans,” he wrote. With 2014’s Otra Era album, Mena explored more of her lesbian identity, especially in the music video for “Espada,” where she admires women in an ’80s-inspired world. In 2020, Grupo Firme’s frontman Eduin Caz dropped a nearly eight-minute video with his brother Jhonny, who also does vocals for the Regional Mexican group, talking about Jhonny’s sexuality. “Their love is bigger than all this.” After RBD broke up in 2009, he went on to a solo career, and released the LGBTQ+ anthem “Libertad” in 2011, featuring his former bandmate and Rebelde co-star Anahí. Chávez’s act of bravery marked him as the first high-profile artist in Latin show business to publicly come out.

Today marks the 34th anniversary of National Coming Out Day and the 35th anniversary of the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

It is a journey whose only destination is to be your truest self, and no matter where you are on your path, you deserve to shine. Declaring who we are and living life in the most authentic way we can is one of the greatest challenges and gifts that comes with being human. And finally, to those who cannot or are not ready to come out, for any reason—we see you. For many in the LGBTQIA+ community, National Coming Out Day is a reminder of the work done by generations of queer folks to continuously secure the safety to exist openly and be treated with dignity and respect. For some, coming out is a moment of celebration. And, sadly, for so many, coming out is just not a safe choice to make.

The Valley AIDS Council commemorated National Coming Out Day with a celebration at the Main Event Center on Tuesday. The event was held in collaboration with ...

“We decided that we wanted to do something big this year for National Coming Out Day to celebrate our LGBTQ community members,” said Steven Cano, the community mobilization coordinator for VAC. They later began coming out to people as non-binary at 18. National Coming Out Day was first observed on Oct. with a late clinic on Tuesday open until 8 p.m. “I actually came out on National Coming Out Day because I was like, ‘How do I even approach the topic?’” Rodriguez said. Two organizations were also on hand to register people to vote as Oct.

National Coming Out Day was celebrated by students and faculty alike during an event hosted by The Pride Alliance on campus. On the south side of the ...

The pins and flags provided at the event also served to further embrace members of the queer community and celebrate their identities. National Coming Out Day was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1988, one year after the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. National Coming Out Day was celebrated by students and faculty alike during an event hosted by The Pride Alliance on campus.

Organization celebrates 30th birthday, supports LGBTQ community ... The University of Wisconsin Gender & Sexuality Campus Center celebrated National Coming Out ...

“And just to feel comfortable being yourself and making friends with people who … “Sort of like a home away from home. at the Pyle Center. “UW is a really big campus, and especially for people … 10 to discuss funding for Effective Altruism and the Food Recovery Network. [SSFC discusses funding for Effective Altruism, Food Recovery NetworkThe Student Services Finance Committee met on Oct.

October 11 is National Coming Out Day (NCOD) and HBS will be participating in events that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community throughout October as part of the ...

To say with peace, with love, and with conviction: in my queerness, I have the freedom to defy expectations. I will have to come out over and over again, countless times, for the rest of my life. In my queerness, I have the freedom to defy my own expectations. Just before getting off the car at the airport on the last day of a trip to my hometown, I told my family “I’m gay” and left. I suppressed my queerness and focused on excelling in the highly competitive military school in Brasilia, Brazil knowing this was my path to college and, more importantly, absolute financial independence from my family. My queer journey reminds me that I am still constantly evolving – in business and in life – testing my assumptions, and putting in the reflection work to understand who I truly am. It wasn’t until I met my first partner senior year of college that I found someone that could begin filling those gaps in support I so desperately craved, eventually giving me the confidence and strength that I needed to begin my own coming out journey over a decade ago. Through therapy, I came out to myself and understood my feelings. I found a well-known gay dating website, where in the first time in my life I spoke with multiple guys my age and felt relieved to know that I am not alone. I wanted to come out to my mom but couldn’t. A few years after the shooting, I returned to that same center as a guide, helping other youth cope with the challenges of coming out of the closet. I kept him at the peripheries of my life because Mexican men were often raised to mask emotions and shield moments of openness.

Lauren Albrecht is the Chair of the New Jersey LGBTQ Democrats, and Joe Forte is a National Victory Campaign Board board member, which is critical to electing ...

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