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"I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community. I hope that my being real with you will help empower you to step into who you are and encourage you to share yourself with those around you." - Janet Mock
Why Coming Out Day?
LGBTQ+ people “come out” because it is assumed everyone is heterosexual and cisgender until they make it known otherwise.
It opens the door to our community, our history, and our culture.
Visibility helps other LGBTQ+ people feel less alone and may help fight against the coercion to assimilate into normative culture.
It is still unsafe - and in some cases, illegal and/or deadly - for many people across the world to be out, including people in your community.
Coming Out Happens in Many Ways
DIRECT: Telling people directly
INDIRECT: Other people telling for you or “outing” (either with or without your consent) OR being observed (ex. through PDA with a partner)
INTERNAL: Coming out to self
EXTERNAL: Coming out to others
CONDITIONAL: Being out only under certain circumstances and with certain people
If Someone Comes Out To You:
Thank them for sharing a piece of themselves with you.
Understand they have taken a risk - a risk of discrimination in work, housing, public spaces, and a risk of violence and rejection.
Don’t expect them to fit whatever stererotype you’ve created.
Ask them how you can support.
Don’t out them without their consent. If they offered a different name or pronoun than the one they’ve been using, ask which circumstances they want you to use them or not.
Don’t expect them to assimilate to cishet culture. We have our own culture.