National Coming Out Day
This is the | National Coming Out Day | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | LGBT community |
| Type | International Awareness Day |
| Significance | Awareness day for coming out and discussions about LGBT people |
| Date | October 11 (October 12 in UK) |
| Related to | Human Rights Campaign |
National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an internationally observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people (LGBT), and asexuals. It is observed by members of the LGBT communities and their supporters (often referred to as "allies") on October 11 every year,[1] or October 12 in the United Kingdom.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Observance
Events are held annually to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the LGBT community and LGBT rights movement. Participants are encouraged to wear pride symbols, such as the pink triangle (gay men), Bisexual pride flag (bisexuals) & the black triangle (lesbians), the Greek letter lambda, and rainbows in jewelry and on clothing.
[edit] International observance
In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign manages the event under the National Coming Out Project, offering resources to LGBT individuals, couples, parents and children, as well as straight friends and relatives, to promote awareness of LGBT families living honest and open lives. Candace Gingrich became the spokesperson for the day in April 1995.
Despite its name, National Coming Out Day (so called because it originated as an event in the United States) is in fact observed in many countries, including Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Croatia,[3] Poland[4] and the United Kingdom (in the UK it is celebrated on October 12). As of 2008, the Netherlands also has Coming Out Day on October 11.
[edit] History
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National Coming Out Day emerged from the October 11, 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Rob Eichberg, founder of The Experience (a personal growth workshop), and Jan O’Leary, head of the National Gay Rights Advocates, started it. In 1993, after years of success, National Coming Out Day merged with the Human Rights Campaign Fund.[5]
Even though National Coming Out Day’s origins were not youth centered, student LGBT groups quickly embraced the event. Activism on college campuses often focused on providing support for the event. As the notion of “coming out” became more visible, high schools started observing their own Coming Out Days.[6]
In 1991, students at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School celebrated National Coming Out Day by lining the halls with pink triangles, a first, according Liz Galst for the Gay Community News in Boston. Teachers took an active role in informing students about the imagery of pink triangles -- the history of their symbolism as well as their Nazi past. Students were encouraged to take advantage of the educational resources that dealt with coming out. The students involved were anxious to promote “fundamental human rights for everyone” and thrilled with the success of the event amongst their peers. [7]
[edit] References
- ↑ "History of National Coming Out Day". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 2008-10-17. "Every Oct. 11, thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and allies celebrate National Coming Out Day."
- ↑ Gillan, Adrian (2008-10-06). "Closet Case?". Lifestyle. United Kingdom: GaydarNation / QSoft Consulting Ltd. Archived from the original on 2009-10-11. Retrieved 2009-10-11. "As UK National Coming Out Day looms (12 October), GaydarNation’s Adrian Gillan considers those who - for all kinds of reason and by varying degree - choose not to be open about their sexuality." More than one of
|author=and|last=specified (help) - ↑ "Program Festivala". Iskorak.org. 2009.
- ↑ Comingout.blox.pl
- ↑ "History of Coming Out Day: 1987: In the Beginning, There Was a March". 11 December 2007. http://www.hrc.org/issues/3350.htm History of Coming Out Day: 1990: Combining Forces. 11 December 2007. http://www.hrc.org/issues/3351.htm
- ↑ Colleges and Universities. Patricia M. Broderick. Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered History in America. Ed. Marc Stein. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2004. p232-237. 3 vols.
- ↑ Galst, Liz (1991, November). "High School students come out; For National Coming Out Day, Cambridge high school students don pink triangles - a first!" Gay Community News, 19(18), 1. Retrieved December 11, 2007, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 582106471).
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Experience
- National Coming Out Day
- National Coming-Out Day (Switzerland)
- National Coming Out Day(UK)
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