When people ask why there are events like National Coming Out Day for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community but no similar events for the heterosexual community, Chicora Martin replies that every day is an event for heterosexuals.
“I remind them every day is a straight parade … a straight coming out day,” said Martin, director of the University’s LGBT Educational and Support Services Program.
While National Coming Out Day is officially on Saturday, the LGBT community is celebrating it today with a rally and guest speakers in the EMU Amphitheater from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Martin said the day is important for LGBT members and their supporters.
“It’s about visibility and about solidarity,” she said.
The day marks the Oct. 11, 1987, march in Washington, D.C., when 500,000 people gathered in support of gay and lesbian equality. It was the second demonstration of this nature in Washington, D.C., and various activists and organizations soon designated the day as an annual national event, according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Web site.
At the University, community members and various organizations including Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and the HIV Alliance will discuss LGBT issues. Student groups including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer Alliance will also be represented.
Michael Eaves, LGBTQA co-director, said the day will feature an open-mic session for those who wish to speak about their experiences. A dance, which is free and open to LGBT students and supporters, will also be held in the EMU Walnut Room from 9 p.m. to midnight.
The LGBT community also celebrated coming out with other events throughout the week including a book and video drive, a residence hall social and a film night. The events were sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the LGBTQA, among others. Martin said the day is intended to show support for the LGBT community on campus and those who may be struggling with coming out.
“It’s easier to be strong and courageous to come out when you have the support of others around you,” she said. “For some folks the process is very hard, and for some it’s very easy. We come out in different ways.”
The ninth annual “Outlist,” published as an advertisement in the Emerald today, is also intended to recognize LGBT members. It lists the names of students, faculty, staff and alumni who chose to publicly acknowledge that they are members or allies of the LGBT community.
Eaves said the list is important because a history of LGBT members are being “hidden and tucked away.” He added, however, that the list does tend to stir up controversy.
“When it does come out every year, generally there’s commentary on whether it’s a good idea or not,” he said. “Not being visible is often about safety for some people.”
People may fear repercussions such as harassment and discrimination if they have their names published, he added.
Eaves is on the list this year, and he said seeing it made him feel more comfortable when he was new to campus.
“It was really important to me as a freshman to see that there were other queer students out there,” he said.
Graduate student Jason Wicklund said he didn’t feel comfortable having his name published in the list when he first came to the University because he didn’t want to be known only for his gay identity.
“I was initially concerned more about sort of losing my personal identity to just this sort of label to being gay,” he said, adding that he later changed his mind when he realized that going public helped him with the process of self-acceptance.
Senior Matthew Strickland said he chose not to be on the list because he has already dealt with coming out, and now he finds different ways to express himself.
“I’m already out,” he said. “It’s not a declaration for me anymore.”
But senior Sarah Blustein said there wouldn’t be many names on the list if everyone had that mentality. She said that although she has been out for sometime, she chose to publish her name on the list to set an example for new students who may not realize that there is a strong LGBT community on campus.
“For me it’s about doing that to show new students around campus that we are here,” she said.