National Coming Out Day

alexri · 10-11-2012, 04:57 AM

So today, October 11th, is National Coming Out Day. Do you celebrate it? Do you have any activities tied to the day? Have you done anything in the past? Does it feel less relevant today than it did maybe 10 or 5 years ago? Have you never heard of it?

http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/t...-of-coming-out
http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/n...coming-out-day

10-11-2012, 05:03 AM

My newspaper says it's International Coming out Day.

Don't think I've ever celebrated it or owt. I will be thinking of all those in the world who are unable to come out for fear of their lives.

The_Lady_Snow · 10-11-2012, 05:09 AM

Our youth center (JASMYN) had a breakfast Sunday for Coming Out Day, they focused on young POC youth, cultural divides when coming out.

Happy Comimg Out Day Everyone!!!!

DapperButch · 10-11-2012, 05:21 AM

It does feel less relevant than it did 20 years ago. I was wondering why until I looked and read the article that reported that the first National Coming Out Day was in 1987. Now it makes more sense to me!

I know someone (not on this board), whose first visit to a clinic for her hormone therapy is today. She wasn't even aware it was NCOD until I told her. I am excited for her!

pinkgeek · 10-11-2012, 05:35 AM

Every year this day is as relevant if not more so because every year that passes someone, somewhere has been killed or committed suicide or been beaten or harassed or felt unloved because they came out. Almost every year I get unfriended by some family member who had their head in the sand about my queer "lifestyle" (cause God knows I got a toaster and gogo boots for choosing to be queer! wtf?) and happened to read facebook today and got a clue.

Somewhere there are people who fear loosing their jobs and loved ones if they are true to themselves and do come out. In most of the world getting married is illegal and in many places being queer will get you locked up or killed.

So yes, this day is without a doubt important. I live as out as I can because somewhere, probably not far from me is a queer who can't. Color me political, perhaps it's my age or my red hair or my tattoos or the swish of my queer ass hips, but equality is both far away and around the corner. Yay for today!

pinkgeek · 10-11-2012, 05:36 AM

OMG I have to do this next year!!!!!!! Fabulous idea!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Our youth center (JASMYN) had a breakfast Sunday for Coming Out Day, they focused on young POC youth, cultural divides when coming out.

Happy Comimg Out Day Everyone!!!!

Dance-with-me · 10-11-2012, 05:46 AM

The relevance is only relativ, even in the U.S. - to give some perspective, my rural college just had its first ever meeting of a gay-straight alliance less Han a month ago.

easygoingfemme · 10-11-2012, 06:35 AM

My best ever was ... 16 years ago? I was hanging out with Leslie Feinberg. It'll never get better than that, but I do still enjoy the day.

Actually it was the night before National Coming Out day that I was with Leslie but still, I count it. It was a pre-party event.

10-11-2012, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dance-with-me

The relevance is only relativ, even in the U.S. - to give some perspective, my rural college just had its first ever meeting of a gay-straight alliance less Han a month ago.

I don't understand.

"...relative, even in the U.S.."?

Sorry if I'm being dense.

laruss · 10-11-2012, 09:35 AM

I think this is an important day in that we are still fighting for rights to be equal. In Canada it is less of a problem then the States and in the States much less of a problem then a lot of parts of the world. But until we have equal rights we have to have days like this to remind people that we are equal and that we are always fighting for that equality.

I grew up in a gay home, my mother had her first female partner in 1979, and she died in 2004, she never came out. She never felt safe to do so. She worked in the non-profit sector and her last job was with Catholic Social Services, I often asked her why she would work for people who she couldn't be herself with and she couldn't be honest about her life partner to. She said it didn't matter because her friends and family knew. But her mother never acknowledged it, her partners mother still to this day won't acknowledge it. Her partners family won't acknowledge their own daughter is gay and my mother was never invited for Christmas as she was only the "roommate". After about 10 years my mother put her foot down and she started doing Christmas and inviting her partners parents. They came but it was always so phoney.

Back in the 80' during jr high and high school it was not acceptable, and to be a child of gay parents meant being very isolated and not being able to have friends home or talk about your home life. I left home at 14 my brother at 16, it was just easier then pretending.

When my brother came out at 18 he was actually afraid to tell us (like we didn't already know). I think mostly because of the shame and hiding we had grown up with.

I didn't officially "come out" until more recently although I have always been with women. But my visible long term relationships were with men. I kept relationships with women hidden for the most part. I had grown up with the shame of being gay and so you didn't let people know. I think so much so that I didn't even admit it to myself until more recently.

I have had 4 different people this summer that didn't know who to talk to, where to meet people, how their friends and family would react. They or a friend of theirs contacted me to help. Coming out is difficult at any age, and no matter what gender or where you live.

I am a strong advocate of gay rights/equal rights and I now won't hide from anyone. Until we have equality, days like today are very important.

10-11-2012, 04:57 AM	#1
alexri Member How Do You Identify?: - Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: - Posts: 549 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,209 Thanked 2,799 Times in 468 Posts Rep Power: 21474848	National Coming Out Day So today, October 11th, is National Coming Out Day. Do you celebrate it? Do you have any activities tied to the day? Have you done anything in the past? Does it feel less relevant today than it did maybe 10 or 5 years ago? Have you never heard of it? http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/t...-of-coming-out http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/n...coming-out-day

10-11-2012, 05:09 AM	#3
The_Lady_Snow MILLION $$$ PUSSY How Do You Identify?: Kinky, Raw, Perverted, Uber Queer Alpha Femme Preferred Pronoun?: Iconic Ms. Relationship Status: Keeper of 3, only one has the map to my freckles Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: La Reina del Sur Posts: 22,488 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 32,231 Thanked 80,119 Times in 15,678 Posts Rep Power: 21474873	OUT! Our youth center (JASMYN) had a breakfast Sunday for Coming Out Day, they focused on young POC youth, cultural divides when coming out. Happy Comimg Out Day Everyone!!!! __________________ "If you’re going to play these dirty games of ours, then you might as well indulge completely. It’s all about turning back into an animal and that’s the beauty of it. Place your guilt on the sidewalk and take a blow torch to it (guilt is usually worthless anyway). Be perverted, be filthy, do things that mannered people shouldn’t do. If you’re going to be gross then go for it and don’t wimp out."---Master Aiden

10-11-2012, 05:21 AM	#4
DapperButch Roadster Guy How Do You Identify?: FTM, Stone Butch Preferred Pronoun?: He Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Posts: 7,745 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 26,545 Thanked 26,893 Times in 5,771 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	It does feel less relevant than it did 20 years ago. I was wondering why until I looked and read the article that reported that the first National Coming Out Day was in 1987. Now it makes more sense to me! I know someone (not on this board), whose first visit to a clinic for her hormone therapy is today. She wasn't even aware it was NCOD until I told her. I am excited for her! __________________ -Dapper Are you educated or indoctrinated?

10-11-2012, 05:35 AM	#5
pinkgeek Member How Do You Identify?: that grrl Preferred Pronoun?: she, her, grrl, piranha, monkey Relationship Status: captured.... Join Date: May 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 377 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,054 Thanked 1,456 Times in 311 Posts Rep Power: 13998705	Every year this day is as relevant if not more so because every year that passes someone, somewhere has been killed or committed suicide or been beaten or harassed or felt unloved because they came out. Almost every year I get unfriended by some family member who had their head in the sand about my queer "lifestyle" (cause God knows I got a toaster and gogo boots for choosing to be queer! wtf?) and happened to read facebook today and got a clue. Somewhere there are people who fear loosing their jobs and loved ones if they are true to themselves and do come out. In most of the world getting married is illegal and in many places being queer will get you locked up or killed. So yes, this day is without a doubt important. I live as out as I can because somewhere, probably not far from me is a queer who can't. Color me political, perhaps it's my age or my red hair or my tattoos or the swish of my queer ass hips, but equality is both far away and around the corner. Yay for today! __________________ ------------------------------------ ~pink "I‘m heir to madness. Vessel of perversion. Your nightmare should you cross me." ((Want to read about my life in Hawaii and my ongoing war against the roosters and my pony size dog and my wedding?)) http://www.alohafemme.wordpress.com/

10-11-2012, 09:35 AM	#10
laruss Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She or Goddess Relationship Status: Settled in Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 1,322 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,849 Thanked 5,328 Times in 1,045 Posts Rep Power: 21474850	I think this is an important day in that we are still fighting for rights to be equal. In Canada it is less of a problem then the States and in the States much less of a problem then a lot of parts of the world. But until we have equal rights we have to have days like this to remind people that we are equal and that we are always fighting for that equality. I grew up in a gay home, my mother had her first female partner in 1979, and she died in 2004, she never came out. She never felt safe to do so. She worked in the non-profit sector and her last job was with Catholic Social Services, I often asked her why she would work for people who she couldn't be herself with and she couldn't be honest about her life partner to. She said it didn't matter because her friends and family knew. But her mother never acknowledged it, her partners mother still to this day won't acknowledge it. Her partners family won't acknowledge their own daughter is gay and my mother was never invited for Christmas as she was only the "roommate". After about 10 years my mother put her foot down and she started doing Christmas and inviting her partners parents. They came but it was always so phoney. Back in the 80' during jr high and high school it was not acceptable, and to be a child of gay parents meant being very isolated and not being able to have friends home or talk about your home life. I left home at 14 my brother at 16, it was just easier then pretending. When my brother came out at 18 he was actually afraid to tell us (like we didn't already know). I think mostly because of the shame and hiding we had grown up with. I didn't officially "come out" until more recently although I have always been with women. But my visible long term relationships were with men. I kept relationships with women hidden for the most part. I had grown up with the shame of being gay and so you didn't let people know. I think so much so that I didn't even admit it to myself until more recently. I have had 4 different people this summer that didn't know who to talk to, where to meet people, how their friends and family would react. They or a friend of theirs contacted me to help. Coming out is difficult at any age, and no matter what gender or where you live. I am a strong advocate of gay rights/equal rights and I now won't hide from anyone. Until we have equality, days like today are very important. __________________ Creativity is a drug I can't do without. -Cecil B. DeMille

10-11-2012, 05:03 AM	#2
Daktari Guest Tournaments Won: 1 Posts: n/a My Photo Gallery	My newspaper says it's International Coming out Day. Don't think I've ever celebrated it or owt. I will be thinking of all those in the world who are unable to come out for fear of their lives.

10-11-2012, 05:46 AM	#7
Dance-with-me Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: earth Posts: 419 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 264 Thanked 1,926 Times in 378 Posts Rep Power: 21474848	The relevance is only relativ, even in the U.S. - to give some perspective, my rural college just had its first ever meeting of a gay-straight alliance less Han a month ago.

10-11-2012, 06:35 AM	#8
easygoingfemme Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Lil' Miss Sassy Pants Preferred Pronoun?: She/her Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: My place by the river Posts: 3,375 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,731 Thanked 14,159 Times in 3,019 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	My best ever was ... 16 years ago? I was hanging out with Leslie Feinberg. It'll never get better than that, but I do still enjoy the day. Actually it was the night before National Coming Out day that I was with Leslie but still, I count it. It was a pre-party event.