Today is National Coming Out Day. A day to celebrate Gay Awareness and Acceptance. If you’re straight, tell your family and friends you would accept them gay or straight. If you are gay, come out to someone today. Every human-being and animal on this planet should be accepted how they are. No one, or no thing, should ever have to put on a front. If that could happen, this World would be a totally different place. It would be happy and full of love and acceptance. Have a great day. Gay or straight.

History

NCOD was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico and founder of the personal growth workshop, The Experience,and Jean O’Leary, an openly-gay political leader from Los Angeles and then head of the National Gay Rights Advocates.^[2][3] The date of October 11 was chosen because it was the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.^[1]

The first headquarters was in West Hollywood, California offices of the National Gay Rights Advocates. 18 states participated in the first NCOD, which was covered in the national media. In its second year, the headquarters moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and participation grew to 21 states. After a media push in 1990, NCOD was observed in all 50 states and seven other countries. Participation continued to grow and in 1990 NCOD merged their efforts with the Human Rights Campaign Fund.^[1]

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 (gays), Bisexual pride flag (bisexuals) & the black triangle (lesbians), the Greek letter lambda, and rainbows in jewelry and on clothing.

Each NCOD has a unique theme. Some of those themes include; Coming Out for Equality (2010), Conversations from the Heart (2009), Talk About It (2007), Talk About It (2006), Talk About IT (2005), Come Out. Speak Out. Vote (2004), It’s a Family Affair (2003), Being Out Rocks! (2002), An Out Odyssey (2001), Think it O-o-ver (Who Will Pick the New Supremes?) (2000), Come Out to Congress (1999).^[4]

International observance

National Coming Out Day is observed in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. ^[5]

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 NCOD in April 1995.

 

Source: WikiPedia