National Coming Out Day is an important part of the LGBT+ calendar and it takes place in the middle of October.
National Coming Out Day was first celebrated in 1988 and aims to bring awareness the how gay, lesbian, bi and transgender people often have to navigate the tricky process of coming out to the people around them.
Of course, many LGBT+ people face multiple coming outs over their lifetimes.
Coming out is a process by which LGBT+ people tell co-workers, schoolmates, family or friends that they are non-heterosexual.
It was first celebrated or marked in the USA 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary and the official logo was created by artist, Keith Haring. Since its inauguration, the day has become widely celebrated outside of the US.
October 11 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the 1987 Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
The monumental event known as “The Great March” was the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which unfolded in Washington, D.C., on October 11, 1987, which was a decade after the first one.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis rally achieved remarkable success in terms of attendance, scale, and historical significance. Notably, it served as a pivotal moment for the national visibility of ACT UP, with prominent involvement from AIDS activists in the primary march. Additionally, it garnered widespread attention the following day due to large-scale acts of civil disobedience staged at the United States Supreme Court Building.
In 2023 National Coming Out Day takes place on the 11th of October 2023, which is a Wednesday.
What does the Rainbow flag represent?
The rainbow flag was first designed and unveiled in 1978 by San Francisco artist, Gilbert Baker, who sadly passed away in 2017.
Speaking about the rainbow as a symbol for LGBT+ people Gilbert Baker said,
“There was no other international symbol for [the LGBT+ community] than the pink triangle which the Nazis used to identify homosexuals in concentration camps,
“Even though the pink triangle was and still is a very powerful symbol, it was very much forced upon us”.
Can you buy coming-out gifts?
If someone you know has gone through the process of coming out, you can always acknowledge their journey with a congratulations on coming out card or even a small coming out gift, as a gesture of your appreciation of their journey.
THEPRIDESHOP have put together some ideas for bisexual coming out, asexual coming out, gay coming out, lesbian coming out, transgender coming out and non-binary coming out.
They also have a selection of cards for a transgender coming out or cards for a lesbian, gay or bisexual coming out.
