In the Beginning, There Was a March
On Oct. 11, 1987, half a million people participated in the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It was the second such demonstration in our nation’s capital and resulted in the founding of a number of LGBTQ organizations, including the National Latino/a Gay & Lesbian Organization (LLEGÓ) and AT&T’s LGBTQ employee group, LEAGUE. The momentum continued four months after this extraordinary march as more than 100 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer activists from around the country gathered in Warrenton, Va., about 25 miles outside Washington, D.C.
Recognizing that the LGBTQ community often reacted defensively to anti-LGBTQ actions, they came up with the idea of a national day to celebrate coming out and chose the anniversary of that second march on Washington to mark it. Each year on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day continues to promote a safe world for LGBTQ individuals to live truthfully and openly. One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. For transgender people, that number is only one in 10.
Coming out – whether it is as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or allied – STILL MATTERS. When people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support equality under the law. Beyond that, our stories can be powerful to each other.
In honor of National Coming Out Day, The Human Rights Campaign honors all who have come out as LGBTQ or as a straight ally for equality. Every person who speaks up changes more hearts and minds, and creates new advocates for equality.
Learn more here: https://www.hrc.org/resources/national-coming-out-day
Additional resources at www.glsen.org (formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) and https://en.wikipedia.org
Contributed by Jean Fowler, Woodinville UU Church, on behalf of the WUUC Welcoming Congregation Team
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